Last month, Berlin claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was refusing to take phone calls from Olaf Scholz
Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. © Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images The Kremlin has contradicted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s public statements about wanting to resume contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming Berlin has yet to make any formal overtures. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on a press call on Monday that “President Putin remains open to all negotiations,” dismissing comments from German officials that have portrayed the Russian leader as unwilling to engage. Peskov added that the leaders of Germany and France were the first to sever direct lines of communication with Moscow after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, and have yet to reverse course. The comments come after Scholz recently hinted that the “right time” for a conversation with Putin could come soon, while German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized the Russian president last month for “refusing peace overtures.” Speaking in Berlin alongside Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, Baerbock alleged that “Putin isn’t even willing to speak to the German chancellor on the phone,” in an effort to justify supplying more weapons to Kiev.
Read more However, the Kremlin insists that Germany has not made any official move to reconnect. Peskov’s clarification underscored that while Putin remains available, “there has been no request for a conversation from Berlin,” asserting that Moscow is “always open to contact.” Peskov also noted that Western European leaders “have shown certain nervousness” regarding potential foreign policy shifts under US President-elect Donald Trump. While Peskov acknowledged these concerns, he emphasized that their official position continues to support “pumping Ukraine with weapons to prolong the war.” Tensions around the perceived breakdown in communication between Putin and Western leaders have intensified since a report last month in Die Zeit, which hinted that Scholz might seek a conversation with the Russian president at the G20 meeting in Brazil this November. Peskov noted that any contact would need substantial groundwork. The last phone exchange between Scholz and Putin took place in 2022. In early October, Peskov reiterated that Moscow’s doors remain open, but said diplomatic relations have hit “rock bottom” – a situation he attributes to Germany’s stance on Ukraine rather than Russian reluctance.
