Did Putin Ask Scholz to Deliver a Message to Zelensky?

The spokesperson for the Russian President Dmitry Peskov stated during a briefing that Vladimir Putin did not request anything to be conveyed to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Peskov emphasized that the Kremlin is monitoring Scholz's visit to Kyiv and, in general, all of Germany's international communications.

Scholz traveled to Kyiv for the first time in 2.5 years to negotiate with Zelensky. He is expected to announce further military supplies worth €650 million to be delivered in December.

Two weeks ago, Scholz and Putin held their first phone conversation in nearly two years. The German government reported that during the conversation, the chancellor urged the Russian leader to negotiate with Ukraine to achieve a "fair and lasting peace." Putin responded by stating that Moscow has never abandoned these talks and highlighted the need to consider the new territorial realities and address the underlying causes of the conflict.