Putin refuses to speak by phone with Scholz – German FM

This statement was made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at a joint press conference in Berlin with her Slovak counterpart, Juraj Blanár, reports a Ukrinform correspondent.

“We have been tirelessly working since the beginning of this unlawful war by Russia to bring peace back to Ukraine and, consequently, to our European continent. Ukraine is ready for a just peace,” Baerbock noted.

According to her, this is why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is once again in Berlin today for talks. Baerbock pointed out that Putin is refusing to speak by phone with Chancellor Scholz.

“Putin is rejecting the peace we all long for,” the diplomat emphasized.

She added that the Russian leader shows this every day, continuing to kill Ukrainians and destroy the country.

Baerbock stated that Putin’s criminal war impacts everyone, stressing the importance of ensuring that Ukraine is not left “defenseless and unarmed” in these difficult times. She highlighted the critical need to strengthen the Ukrainian air defense to “protect the remaining third of energy infrastructure.”

“Ukraine depends on us to hold the front line. And it is in our own security interests for Ukraine to maintain this front,” Baerbock said, noting that Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine is also a hybrid war against Europeans. She stressed the need for Europeans to collectively defend themselves to live in peace.

Blanár, in turn, promised that Slovakia would continue to support Ukraine humanitarianly, particularly in the energy sector. As for military assistance, Slovakia has already given everything it could, even at the expense of its own defense.

As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Germany for a brief working visit on October 11.