German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) reacted with indignation to a post by CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter, according to which a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was allegedly planned before the Bundestag election. “This is a false claim” Scholz said on Sunday at the sidelines of a SPD presidential council meeting in Berlin.
“This kind of thing is not acceptable. It’s deeply unseemly, and there are no indications of it.” Scholz said no one can report on “anything that no one has ever thought of.” “And therefore, I think, even decent people should be indignant when working with false claims. There’s nothing more to say.”
Scholz also reaffirmed that he advocates for “prudence” in dealing with Russia. “For the reason that we don’t rule out diplomatic options, and that includes and will include in the future, of course, phone conversations” the Chancellor said.
Kiesewetter had posted on X/Twitter on Saturday: “The indications are growing that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow or meet Putin before February 23.” This could be an “election surprise.” Kiesewetter also wrote that a meeting between Putin and the new US President Donald Trump was allegedly planned for March.