Germany's Scholz set to call Putin ahead of G20 Summit
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to reach out to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in nearly two years. This anticipated phone call, which could take place as early as next month, is poised to occur ahead of the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil in November, reports Die Zeit, citing sources within the German government.
Although no formal request for the conversation has been submitted yet, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit mentioned that Scholz is open to the discussion if the circumstances seem right. Hebestreit affirmed this in early September, aligning it with Scholz’s recent statements urging accelerated peace initiatives to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Nonetheless, German officials remain skeptical about immediate optimism.
Should the call take place, Scholz would become the first leader of a major pro-Ukraine government to re-engage with Putin since their last conversation in December 2022. In that year, other prominent figures such as U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also held talks with the Russian leader.
The highly anticipated G20 summit is scheduled for November 18-19 in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has assured Putin that he is welcome to attend and that his safety will be guaranteed. This invitation, however, places Brazil in a precarious position, as the country is a signatory to the Rome Statute. This means Brazil is technically obliged to arrest Putin following the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest warrant against him.