In a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin complained about “Kiev’s unwillingness to compromise” in the current talks with Moscow. Kyiv is trying to slow down the talks and is also making “unrealistic proposals”. Putin also complained about US President Joe Biden’s “daily personal insults” to his address.
Biden’s statements are the result of “irritation, tiredness and forgetfulness,” said Putin, in an obvious allusion to the US President’s age. He called Putin a war criminal and a “murderous dictator”. Putin also told Scholz that it was not for the German chancellor to decide who would lead Russia, but for the Russian people.
Russia is ready to look for a solution within its “basic approach,” said the Kremlin chief. Exactly what that means was unclear. So far, Moscow had made demilitarization and neutralization of the neighboring country and recognition of the areas annexed or controlled by Russia a condition.
From Berlin it was said about the conversation that Scholz had urged Putin in the hour-long conversation to an immediate ceasefire and progress towards a diplomatic solution.
