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Scholz open to phone call with Putin, 'no taboo' on talks — government source

However, it is pointed out that the chancellor would only initiate contact with Putin if "the moment is right"

BERLIN, October 8. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is open to holding a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a German government source told reporters.

"It’s not a taboo for him (Scholz - TASS). The main thing is to end the war," the source said, adding: "He does not rule out such a possibility, and I would like to reaffirm this."

However, the German government source pointed out that the chancellor would only initiate contact with Putin if "the moment is right" and the need arises to send "a clear message," or "a specific issue" emerges.

Earlier, Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper wrote, citing a source close to the German government and the Social Democratic Party, that Scholz was preparing a peace plan for Ukraine, which was sort of another Minsk accord and did not rule out the handover of some Ukrainian territories to Moscow.

The German chancellor said earlier in an interview with the ZDF broadcaster that the moment had come to discuss ways to achieve peace in the Ukrainian conflict, and once again emphasized the need for Russia’s participation in the next summit on resolving the crisis.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on September 11 that Berlin informed Moscow of Scholz’s "peace plan" neither directly nor through intermediaries. According to Zakharova, the existence of such a plan is nothing but gossip and leaks.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy

Military operation in Ukraine

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