Scholz Addresses Speculation About Alleged Meeting Plans with Putin
German Chancellor Scholz has dismissed allegations regarding a scheduled meeting with Russian President Putin, labeling the claim as unfounded. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The German Chancellor has rejected claims regarding an upcoming meeting with the Russian president, labeling them unfounded.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has refuted allegations of a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the claims “false.” This speculation was ignited by a post from German MP Roderich Kiesewetter regarding an imminent meeting, which the Kremlin has also dismissed.
During a leadership meeting of his Social Democratic Party in Berlin on Sunday, Scholz criticized Bundestag member Kiesewetter for spreading what he termed “baseless” and “deeply inappropriate” rumors about a possible encounter.
On Saturday, Kiesewetter, a member of the opposition Christian Democratic Union, suggested on social media platform X that Scholz could be visiting Moscow before February 23 and mentioned a potential meeting between Putin and former US President Donald Trump set for March. However, his post has been deleted and was no longer accessible by Sunday evening.
German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit condemned Kiesewetter’s assertions as “defamatory,” “entirely fabricated,” and “malicious.”
“There are no considerations for such a trip; it would make no sense at all,” Hebestreit stated to RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, adding that the German government is contemplating legal action regarding the claims.
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch has called for Kiesewetter to retract his post and apologize, stating, “Kiesewetter’s tweet is a clear violation of the Fairness Agreement.” This refers to the agreement made by Germany’s major parties—SPD, CDU, Greens, and FDP—in December to ensure fair campaigning during elections. Miersch has urged CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann to take action.
The Kremlin has similarly rejected the speculations. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Sunday that “there are no such plans at the moment” when asked about the possibility of high-level discussions involving Putin and the German and US leaders.
Scholz last met with Putin in person at the Kremlin on February 15, 2022, shortly before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Their most recent communication, initiated by Scholz, took place via phone on November 15.
Recently, there has been a growing curiosity about potential resolutions to the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, including discussions around a ceasefire or a frozen conflict. These conversations have gained attention following the election of Trump, who has indicated a desire to conclude the war quickly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has noted that Trump's strength and unpredictability could be beneficial, hoping the US president-elect will take a proactive stance toward Russia.
Moscow has consistently expressed its willingness for negotiations and a diplomatic settlement but insists that this is contingent on Kiev ceasing military operations, withdrawing its troops from Russian territories—including former Ukrainian regions, ensuring the rights of Russian-speaking residents, and adopting a neutral, non-nuclear status.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has refuted allegations of a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the claims “false.” This speculation was ignited by a post from German MP Roderich Kiesewetter regarding an imminent meeting, which the Kremlin has also dismissed.
During a leadership meeting of his Social Democratic Party in Berlin on Sunday, Scholz criticized Bundestag member Kiesewetter for spreading what he termed “baseless” and “deeply inappropriate” rumors about a possible encounter.
On Saturday, Kiesewetter, a member of the opposition Christian Democratic Union, suggested on social media platform X that Scholz could be visiting Moscow before February 23 and mentioned a potential meeting between Putin and former US President Donald Trump set for March. However, his post has been deleted and was no longer accessible by Sunday evening.
German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit condemned Kiesewetter’s assertions as “defamatory,” “entirely fabricated,” and “malicious.”
“There are no considerations for such a trip; it would make no sense at all,” Hebestreit stated to RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, adding that the German government is contemplating legal action regarding the claims.
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch has called for Kiesewetter to retract his post and apologize, stating, “Kiesewetter’s tweet is a clear violation of the Fairness Agreement.” This refers to the agreement made by Germany’s major parties—SPD, CDU, Greens, and FDP—in December to ensure fair campaigning during elections. Miersch has urged CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann to take action.
The Kremlin has similarly rejected the speculations. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Sunday that “there are no such plans at the moment” when asked about the possibility of high-level discussions involving Putin and the German and US leaders.
Scholz last met with Putin in person at the Kremlin on February 15, 2022, shortly before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Their most recent communication, initiated by Scholz, took place via phone on November 15.
Recently, there has been a growing curiosity about potential resolutions to the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, including discussions around a ceasefire or a frozen conflict. These conversations have gained attention following the election of Trump, who has indicated a desire to conclude the war quickly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has noted that Trump's strength and unpredictability could be beneficial, hoping the US president-elect will take a proactive stance toward Russia.
Moscow has consistently expressed its willingness for negotiations and a diplomatic settlement but insists that this is contingent on Kiev ceasing military operations, withdrawing its troops from Russian territories—including former Ukrainian regions, ensuring the rights of Russian-speaking residents, and adopting a neutral, non-nuclear status.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
