Scholz on Putin's proposals for Ukraine ceasefire: "unserious"

That’s according to the Chancellor’s interview with ZDF, Ukrinform reports.

"Everyone knows that this is a unserious proposal, but it is related to the peace conference that is taking place in Switzerland. At the same time, Putin has also shown what he is really interested in – a classic imperialist conquest of territories. To this end, he employed great military power, unleashed a brutal war, and also resigned himself to the fact that hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers died or were seriously injured for the sake of his imperialist dream," Scholz said.

According to the Chancellor, that is why Putin's proposal is "not one that can work."

"It is important for Ukraine to have a fair and just peace. And Ukraine should be able not to subscribe to any dictates from Putin, but to act in its own interest," the chancellor emphasized.

He also commented on the possibility of inviting Russia to the second peace summit, calling such an idea "correct".

"The conference is about laying the foundations so that at the next conference we can talk about peace beyond the issues that are currently being discussed in Switzerland... And that is why this is a diplomatic sprout that we are now watering to make it grow bigger. And then, of course, the prospect is that eventually there should be a conference and peace talks that will work in favor of Ukraine. And then everything will come to the point that Russia should also be present," Scholz said.

As reported earlier, Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once again repeated that he is supposedly "ready for peace negotiations", but for this, he says, Ukraine must withdraw its troops from all regions occupied by the Russians, which the Kremlin claims "the territory of the Russian Federation", and to refuse from joining NATO.