Merz refuses to contact Putin due to increased shelling of Ukraine
The highest representative of the German government, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, said that he does not intend to have telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the moment. This decision is explained by the fact that previous contacts with the Russian leader did not contribute to reducing tensions in the conflict and did not lead to de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine. Merz openly informed journalists about this as part of official statements that appeared on information resources, in particular on "European Truth" with reference to the German TV channel DW. In the context of the ban on telephone contacts, Merz recalled several key incidents. In particular, he mentioned the visit to Moscow of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which took place in July 2024, as well as the conversations of former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz with Putin. According to Merz, these contacts had tragic consequences for Ukraine: "After Orbán's last visit to Moscow, Russia began a massive shelling of Kyiv and its environs, including hospitals. And the last telephone conversation with my predecessor was accompanied by a missile attack on a children's hospital. If such contacts stimulate such an escalation, then I will refrain from them for a long time." When Merz was asked about his attitude to possible American interference in relations with Putin, he replied that the United States was showing increasing skepticism about the Russian leader and was becoming more critical in its position. According to the Chancellor, "this process is taking place both in Europe and in the United States." He added that, in his opinion, the collective European and American approach to assessing the current war increasingly converged on the fact that Putin should be treated with caution and criticism. A significant influence on the formation of policy in this direction was also the recent statement of Vladimir Putin during the economic forum in St. Petersburg. There, the Russian president declared his openness to possible contacts with Merz, emphasizing that Moscow is ready for negotiations and dialogue with Europe, if this will contribute to the cessation of the war. A few weeks ago, according to sources, Merz did not rule out the possibility of a meeting with Putin, but on the condition that such a meeting will help end the war in Ukraine and ensure the cessation of hostilities. At the same time, politicians from the left forces and representatives of the Alternative for Germany did not ignore this situation - they called on the Chancellor to establish direct contact with the Russian leader. They believed that a dialogue with Moscow could help reduce tensions and stop the bloodshed, while politicians from the center and right forces emphasized the importance of a tougher position and support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom. In general, this topic continues to be discussed in Germany - on the one hand, calls for dialogue and finding compromises insist on opening communication channels, and on the other - there is growing understanding and support for the idea that contacts with Putin only intensify aggression and raise the price of human lives in Ukraine.