Scholz’s Call to Putin Reveals No Shift in Kremlin’s Stance on Ukraine War

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Sunday that his recent one-hour phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin did not indicate a change in Putin’s stance on the war in Ukraine.

Scholz defended his decision to call Putin, stating that the purpose was to dispel Putin’s illusions about the West possibly halting support for Ukraine. During the conversation, Scholz observed that Putin’s views on the war remain largely unchanged.

Context:

On February 24, 2022, Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. He claimed that NATO intended to use Ukraine as a base for aggression against Russia, despite no evidence supporting this claim. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories in Ukraine.

Ukrainian supporters remain hopeful that Ukrainians are on the path to victory, believing that Russian occupying forces will eventually retreat from Ukrainian land.