German Chancellor Scholz Advocates for Russia’s Role in New Peace Talks with Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed support for including Russia in a forthcoming international peace conference aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Speaking to public broadcaster ZDF on Sunday, Scholz highlighted the need to address the current conflict and expedite efforts towards achieving peace.

During a recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Scholz and Zelensky discussed recent developments and the prospects for a new peace conference. Scholz emphasized that this is a crucial moment to explore ways to resolve the war situation and achieve peace more swiftly.

Zelensky, who met Scholz in Frankfurt last week following his participation in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, expressed gratitude for Germany's ongoing political and military support for Ukraine. The two leaders also discussed plans for a second peace conference, scheduled for November.

The initial peace conference, held in Switzerland in June, did not include Russia, although it was attended by representatives from over 90 countries. The joint communique was supported by 80 of those nations. On the eve of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed his own peace initiative, urging Ukraine to acknowledge Russia's territorial claims.