Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

Tagesspiegel: Scholz wants to continue to talk to Putin

by The Kyiv Independent news desk January 29, 2023 10:37 AM 1 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told German newspaper Tagesspiegel he intends to continue trying to work towards an end to the war against Ukraine in direct phone conversations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

“I will also be on the phone with Putin again - because it is necessary to talk to each other,” he said, adding it was up to Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine and end this “terrible, nonsensical war.”

Scholz also dismissed the idea of delivering fighter jets to Ukraine, warning against “entering into a constant outbidding competition regarding weapon systems.”

The discussion to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets was reignited after the U.S. and European countries decided to supply Ukraine with dozens of Western-built main battle tanks in January.

However, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that sending fighter jets to Ukraine is “out of the question.”

“Fighter aircraft are much more complex systems than main battle tanks and have a completely different range and firepower. We would venture into dimensions I would currently warn against,” Pistorius told Süddeutsche Zeitung.

The U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets could be the best option for Ukraine’s Air Force, spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said during a briefing. So far, the U.S. has refused to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine or authorize their transfer by third countries.

On Jan. 19, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said the country’s government would look into providing Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets “if Kyiv asks for it.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky asked partners to give Ukraine longer-range missiles and F-16 fighters during his speech at the Ramstein-8 meeting in Germany on Jan. 20.

Scholz added he wouldn’t allow the “escalation” of a war between Russia and NATO after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the Council of Europe on Jan. 24 that the West was “fighting a war against Russia and not against each other.”

Scholz: We must continue talking with Russia to end war
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

7:59 PM

Muslim who fled Russia on his new life in Ukraine.

Ali Charinskiy is an activist and professional martial artist from the Republic of Dagestan who advocated for the rights of Muslims. The Kyiv Independent spent a day with Charinskiy in his new home, a southern Ukrainian city of Odesa.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.