German Chancellor Scholz Labels North Korean Troop Deployment in Ukraine a “Grave Escalation” in Call with Putin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz communicated to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that Russia’s deployment of North Korean forces in Ukraine constituted a “grave escalation” of the conflict, as reported by government sources. During their initial phone conversation in almost two years, Chancellor Scholz urged President Putin to cease hostilities and withdraw Russian forces from Ukraine. The Kremlin characterized the discussion as “a detailed and frank exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine,” further stating that “the very fact of dialogue is positive.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referred to the call as a “Pandora’s box,” contending that it diminishes Putin’s isolation. Government sources indicated that the chancellor denounced Russia’s assault on Ukraine and urged Moscow to engage in negotiations with Kyiv to achieve a “fair and lasting peace.” He additionally emphasized “Germany’s unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary.” Specifically, Scholz condemned the Russian air strikes targeting civilian infrastructure. The telephone conversation extended for approximately an hour, and both leaders consented to maintain communication. Russian media outlets are reporting, citing the Kremlin, that Germany initiated the call. The German government will be eager to prevent any allegations that Berlin is attempting to broker an agreement with Moscow without Ukraine’s involvement, especially considering the painful 20th-century recollections in Eastern Europe of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union dividing the region. A written statement from the chancellor’s office underscored that Scholz had also spoken with Zelensky prior to his call with Putin. Scholz further intended to speak with Zelensky again after the call concluded to provide details regarding the discussion with the Russian president. According to a statement issued by the Kremlin to Russian media, Putin reportedly informed Scholz that Russian-German relations had experienced “an unprecedented degradation across the board as a result of the German authorities “unfriendly course.” The Kremlin stated that Putin conveyed to Scholz that any prospective peace accord must “be based on the new territorial realities”—referring to the Ukrainian territory Russia has occupied since 2022. Putin additionally asserted that a peace agreement could only materialize by eliminating “the root causes of the conflict.” The Kremlin defends its invasion of Ukraine by alleging Nato “expansion” into Eastern Europe. During the call, Putin reportedly stated that “the current crisis was a direct result of Nato’s years-long aggressive policy aimed at creating in Ukrainian territory an anti-Russian bridgehead.” In an interview broadcast on German television last Sunday, Scholz indicated his intention to speak with Putin to advocate for peace negotiations. He clarified that he was not acting unilaterally but in consultation with other parties. Speculation suggests that Scholz also intends to engage with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is a lukewarm supporter of Russia, regarding the war in Ukraine at the upcoming G20 summit next week in Rio de Janeiro. Scholz’s most recent telephone conversation with Putin occurred on 2 December 2022. Their last in-person meeting took place a week prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At that juncture, Scholz returned to Berlin having received assurances from Putin that Russia had no intention of invading Ukraine. The subsequent attack a week later marked the definitive rupture of trust between Germany and Russia. For several decades, Berlin had endeavored to secure peace with Moscow by forging connections between the two nations through trade and energy ties. This ambition was abruptly dismantled when Russia initiated its full invasion of Ukraine. Presently, Germany stands as the largest contributor of military and financial assistance to Ukraine, second only to the US, with mainstream politicians across the political spectrum and the majority of voters favoring support for Ukraine. However, with German elections scheduled for February, there is increasing pressure for substantive peace negotiations to conclude the war in Ukraine. The far-right AfD and the nascent far-left populist BSW, which collectively could secure between a quarter and a third of the votes in the upcoming election, allege that the government is not sufficiently working towards a peace agreement. Scholz’s ruling coalition dissolved last week, and he currently leads a minority government until the elections. Both he and his political party are performing poorly in opinion surveys. Germany has experienced significant repercussions from the war in Ukraine, both politically and economically. Consequently, any indication that Scholz is contributing to resolving the conflict could improve his electoral prospects.