“Russia does not want a warfor this reason we have put forward a proposal for a negotiation process but unfortunately we have not received an objective and constructive response “. Vladimir Putin said in the press conference in Moscow with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reiterating that” we aspire to agree with our partners through diplomatic channels “and the evolution of the situation will depend on this,” it does not depend only on us “.
“We are willing to discuss the issues, but always taking into account the aspects that are well founded”, he added, recalling that Russia’s main requests, namely the no to NATO enlargement, the return to the deployment of the bloc in 1997 and the non deployment of offensive systems near Russia.
Russia is willing to continue talks on missile issues and more, but any strong bond will be considered a threat. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, explaining of having attempted a compromise with Ukraine, but that his suggestions ” were not heeded ”. There was “a proposal for a negotiation process, but we have not received a constructive response”.
The Russian president and the German chancellor started face to face in the Kremlin and then, it is specified, the conversation continued over a working lunch. In all, the meeting went on for more than three hours.
“We always try to strengthen cooperation” between Russia and Germany, Putin added, saying that he had “a very useful and meaningful dialogue with the German Chancellor”. ” Germany is a key partner of Russia ” and during the conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ” we talked in depth about issues of bilateral interest ”.
“It is true for the people of our generation it is difficult to imagine a war in Europe, but we have witnessed a war unleashed by NATO in the former Yugoslavia” said Vladimir Putin, recalling how the “bombings in Serbia” happened without ” authorization from the UN Security Council “. “It’s a bad example, it happened,” he added.
Russia, he added, will be happy to continue supplying gas through Ukraine if there is demand for it. Vladimir Putin considers the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as “a purely commercial project” with no political implications.
Russia, Putin specifies, will not accept an enlargement of NATO to its borders. “We will never accept NATO expansion to our borders. This is a threat that we clearly perceive. The Alliance’s responses to our requests so far do not satisfy us, but there are arguments that can be advanced,” he said. As for what is happening in Donbass, “for us it is genocide”.
CHANCELLOR SCHOLZ – The diplomatic ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, said Chancellor Scholz, “are certainly not complete”. “We are ready – he said – together with our partners and allies in the EU and NATO and with Russia to discuss every concrete step to improve security for both sides or even better, for our common security”. “We need to mutually improve the common security of NATO and Russia”. “With Putin we agree that the dialogue with NATO and the OSCE is one more step for the improvement” of the situation. On the other hand, the German Chancellor recalled that “a military aggression of Ukraine would have strategic and political consequences.” My impression is that everyone knows, “he added.
Scholz stressed the importance of dialogue, even if the “ideas formulated by Russia” cannot be shared, “it is important that we talk, see what the problems are”.
As for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Scholz said, “we all understand what is wrong”, stressing that the key “are peaceful developments” in Europe, otherwise, “there will be consequences”.
“It’s a strong word …. but it’s wrong” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, disputing the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke of a “genocide” underway in Donbass, the pro-Russian separatist region in ‘Eastern Ukraine, during a press conference in Moscow.
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