The German Chancellor is criticized not only in Poland, but also in his home country for resuming talks with Vladimir Putin. Olaf Scholz now assures that he called to tell Putin once again that he cannot count on his support. “No one will stop Putin with phone calls,” comments Donald Tusk. In turn, President Andrzej Duda suggests that Scholz's call to Putin may be a play to benefit German interests.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Brazil, where the G20 summit is taking place. Before leaving, he tried to explain why he was talking to Vladimir Putin. – It was important for him to hear that he could not count on support from Germany, Europe and many other countries regarding Ukraine. For him to hear that it is now up to him whether the war will end. The conversation was very detailed, but it allowed us to conclude that little has changed in the Russian president's views on the war, Scholz said at the conference.
Scholz emphasized that the prevailing principle is that no decision will be made over Ukraine's head. Despite this, criticism of the chancellor persists for calling Moscow and initiating the conversation at all.
– I doubt it was agreed with the allies. I think this is an arbitrary action by Chancellor Scholz – commented President Andrzej Duda, who spoke at the conference before his departure to Jordan.
According to President Duda, this may be a game for German interests. – They are looking for an opportunity to reach an agreement with Russia in order to return to energy contracts so that they can buy energy raw materials from Russia again – suggested the president.
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Olaf ScholzPAP/EPA/FILIP SINGER
Tusk: no one will stop Putin with phone calls
Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that “no one will stop the war with telephones” and that the latest Russian attacks have proven that “telephone diplomacy cannot replace real support of the entire West for Ukraine.” The German “Der Spigel” perceived this as criticism of Scholz's conversation with Putin.
– He took a reputational risk. Let's hope there will be some results – commented the Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski.
Daniel Szeligowski, head of the Eastern Europe Program at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, said that “Chancellor Scholz did not call Putin because he wants to end the war.” – He called for internal reasons. Parliamentary elections are coming soon, because the government in Germany is falling apart and he will position himself as the chancellor of peace – said the expert.
The changes on the German political scene are becoming more and more visible. And why can Poland benefit from this? Jakub Loska/Fakty o Świecie TVN24 BiS
Changes in the White House
According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the next weeks will be decisive not only for the war itself, but also for our future. Much depends on what decisions the new president of the United States will make. Donald Trump has emphasized more than once that he wants to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible.
– If Trump decides on a truce that will involve freezing the conflict, neutralizing Ukraine, and building a demilitarized zone on the demarcation line, it will be a doubly unfavorable situation for NATO's eastern flank and doubly unfavorable for the whole of Europe, because it is in fact a harbinger of another war – assessed by Zbigniew Parafianowicz from “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna”.
The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States was to be one of the topics of discussion during the meeting of foreign ministers of the EU countries.
– Europe must take more responsibility for its own security. We are prepared for this. We have strengthened the European pillar in NATO. We have increased the EU's cooperation with NATO. We say clearly that the answer to “America First” is United Europe, emphasized Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister, in Brussels.
European foreign ministers will also discuss the situation in Ukraine in Warsaw. Radosław Sikorski announced talks in the Weimar Triangle Plus format.
– To influence events, we must stop speaking diplomatic language and start making decisions – emphasizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs. These are supposed to be fundamental decisions. – Are we ready to increase the defense budget of the European Union, or if the United States were to reduce support for Ukraine, are we ready to enter this place – said Radosław Sikorski at a meeting with the inhabitants of Pruszków in Masovia.
Tuesday marks one thousand days since Russia attacked Ukraine.
Main photo source: FILIP SINGER/PAP/EPA