UK Premier unveils whether he’ll call Putin

(MENAFN) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that he has no plans to contact Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that it is up to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to decide whom he speaks to. Speaking to reporters aboard a government plane on his way to the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Starmer was asked if he would follow Scholz's lead and engage directly with Putin, but he firmly stated, "I have no plans to speak to Putin." Instead, the British leader emphasized that his priority at the summit will be to rally support for Ukraine, urging other leaders to "double down" on backing the country in its ongoing conflict with Russia.

Starmer was also asked about US President-elect Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine, given Trump’s skepticism regarding continued military aid. The UK Prime Minister expressed confidence that it is crucial to address the immediate needs of Ukraine at the G20, regardless of future US policies.

The comments come after Scholz's controversial phone call with Putin on Friday, the first such direct contact in nearly two years. During the call, Scholz reiterated that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a result of NATO's aggressive policies. Scholz’s conversation with Putin has been criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who argued that it could weaken Western unity and efforts to isolate Russia diplomatically. Despite the conversation, Scholz noted that there was little change in Putin's stance on the war.

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