At the initiative of the German side, the first telephone conversation since December 2022 took place between the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz. This is stated on the Kremlin’s official website.
“There was a detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin recalled that the current crisis is the direct result of many years of aggressive NATO policy aimed at creating an anti-Russian springboard on Ukrainian territory, ignoring the interests of our country in the field of security and trampling on the rights of the peoples of Ukraine. speaks Russian. residents”, – says the message.
The Russian president stated that the Russian side never refused and remains open to resuming negotiations that were interrupted by kyiv. Russia’s proposals are well known and were outlined, in particular, in a speech delivered in June at the Russian Foreign Ministry. Possible agreements should take into account the interests of the Russian Federation in the security sphere, be based on new territorial realities and, most importantly, eliminate the root causes of the conflict.
In addition, the parties discussed Russian-German relations. Putin noted his unprecedented degradation in all directions as a consequence of the hostile attitude of the German authorities. Russia has always strictly fulfilled its conventional and contractual obligations in the energy sector and is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation if the German side shows interest in it, the Russian president stressed.
They also discussed the situation in the Middle East. Putin reported on the efforts made by the Russian Federation to reduce tension and find peaceful solutions to the crisis in the region.
The parties agreed that the leaders’ assistants will contact each other.
