Kremlin reacts cautiously to Scholz’s initiative

The Kremlin has reacted cautiously to Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s (SPD) push for stronger diplomatic efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. “As far as a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine is concerned, there are no tangible outlines yet,” said Dmitri Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow. Statements have been heard from various European countries. “But we have heard nothing about this from the country that is controlling this process, that is directing the collective West,” said Peskov, referring to the USA.

In an interview on Sunday, Scholz called for stronger diplomatic efforts to end the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. “I believe that this is the moment when we must discuss how we can get out of this war situation and achieve peace more quickly than currently seems possible,” the SPD politician told ZDF.

When asked whether there should be another peace conference like the one in Switzerland in June, he replied: “There will definitely be another peace conference. And the (Ukrainian) president and I agree that there must be one with Russia there too.” Russia was not invited to the Swiss conference and China, Putin’s most important ally, cancelled.

However, 80 of the 93 participating states decided in a final declaration that Russia should take part in a follow-up conference. November was discussed as a possible date. At the moment, however, it does not look like this will work.

Scholz’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in Berlin that he currently sees no willingness to talk on the Russian side. “Everything that we hear from the Kremlin and also from Vladimir Putin are statements that do not give the impression that they are very willing to enter into constructive peace negotiations.”

CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter criticized Scholz for his move. “It fits in with the strategy of parts of the SPD to very subtly push Ukraine into a fake peace imposed by Russia, in which support is gradually reduced and fake negotiations are demanded instead,” the Bundestag member told the “Bild” newspaper.

Ukraine and Russia’s ideas about a peace solution could hardly be more different. All of Moscow’s calls for an end to the war have so far boiled down to Ukraine ceding territory and Russian control over the rest of Ukraine. For Ukraine, this would be tantamount to capitulation. They want the Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea, back in full.