Berlin, Germany – The German government has rejected a recent conversation offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that there is no direct contact. In response to a question from a German news agency, government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said on Friday in Berlin that Chancellor Friedrich Merz is not open to a phone call with Putin.
The German government has consistently communicated its desire to end the war through a political means, said Kornelius. “I cannot recognize that the Russian president has responded to the repeated wishes for a political solution.” Notably, the government has not received an official request for a conversation from the Russian side, although it has taken notice of the relevant media reports, according to Kornelius.
Earlier, Putin had made a statement at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, saying that if Merz were to call and speak, Russia would be ready for such a contact. “We are always open to that” the Kremlin chief added.