Despite the partial Russian troop withdrawal, an escalation in the Ukraine conflict cannot be ruled out. “The diplomatic possibilities are far from exhausted,” said Olaf Scholz during his first visit to Moscow. The German press reviews at a glance.
With the announcement of a partial troop withdrawal on Tuesday, Russia surprisingly gave a sign of easing in the Ukraine crisis. At a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia did not want a new war in Europe. “As to whether we want it or not: Of course not!” Putin said in the Kremlin after the three-hour conversation. Scholz referred to a large scope for negotiations. “The diplomatic possibilities are far from exhausted,” he said.
This is how the German press commented on the meeting in Moscow:
“Augsburg General”: “Russia has announced a partial withdrawal of its troops from the Ukrainian borders. The government in Kiev is already jubilant. The threat of invasion has been averted. Diplomacy has triumphed. But the Russian army, with its current level of mobilization, will be able to do so at any time in the coming weeks to tighten the ring around Ukraine again. In diplomatic terms, there is still a long way to go. On the contrary: Russia’s policy of escalation has made the problem mountain much bigger, not only in Eastern Europe. The entire continental security architecture is up for grabs.”
“Frankfurter Rundschau”: “A few less Russian soldiers on the border with Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer of talks to the West will solve neither the Ukraine conflict nor the dispute with the USA and the Europeans. But the signals from Moscow could be followed by lengthy and complicated negotiations, to calm the tense situation or even lead to a European security architecture that everyone involved can live with. But there is still a long way to go. Any trust that has been lost must be restored. In addition, the disputed points must be worked through one by one. This must be done that security issues in Europe can only be clarified with and not against Russia, but also not against Ukraine and the other Eastern European states.Putin in particular will first have to prove whether he is capable of compromises or remains true to his tried-and-tested approach and fueling the conflict when things aren’t going his way.”
“Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”: “(…) With his comments on the deployment of troops on the borders to Ukraine, to Memorial and Navalny, Scholz made it clear that he is not afraid to speak openly to Putin. (…) The concept of strategic ambiguity was paid homage to on Tuesday in The Kremlin tends to be the host, who has long been a master at it.(…) He wants to block Ukraine’s westward path once and for all.That also dampens hopes that the revival of the Minsk process will lead to Crisis The promises that Scholz brought with him from Kiev were acknowledged by the Duma with a request to Putin to recognize the rebellious areas in the Donbass as independent states.(…) The Russian president still doesn’t give the impression that he feels he was defeated in this conflict. (…)”
“New Press” (Coburg): “In the press conference with Scholz, Putin once again spoke of an imminent genocide being committed by Ukrainian soldiers. In view of such statements, it is hardly realistic that the Kremlin would stop destabilizing the neighboring country.”
“Scholz contradicted Putin, Putin contradicted Scholz”
“Ludwigsburg District Newspaper”: “The press conference of the two heads of state was a real political thriller. Scholz contradicted Putin, Putin contradicted Scholz. And yet there was now and then a smile on the lips of the two politicians. It was not a defusing of the crisis. But no escalation either. Scholz can fly back with the feeling that he has brought hope to the conflict. Talk continues, the Minsk process should finally be filled with life. It will depend very much on the diplomatic skills of the German and French sides . Scholz did his part yesterday.”
“New Osnabrück Newspaper”: “Putin’s realization seems to be growing that he cannot drive a wedge between the members of the EU and NATO. The Kremlin’s policy has brought the EU and NATO states closer together. The economic collateral damage of an armed conflict in Ukraine would be All sides up. Has Putin gambled it up? Just because a few soldiers are vacating their positions does not mean the danger of a new war in Central and Eastern Europe has been averted. Moscow has also mastered the training of its supposed opponents with carrots and sticks. The West should not be in the wrong Weigh safety. The real work on Europe’s security architecture is only just beginning.”
“Central German Newspaper” (Halle): “Scholz did a lot in Moscow to keep relations viable. He found clear words about the human rights situation in Russia without provoking. But he also emphasized the connection. In the one-to-one talks nobody was there. But the joint appearance with Scholz in front of the press gave hope that the chancellor could fill in the foreign policy footsteps of his predecessor Angela Merkel.”
“The bell” (Oelde): “Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has climbed the palm tree to the very top, and now the big question is how he will get down again.” If the Russian announcements of a partial withdrawal of its troops from the border area with Ukraine are to be believed, then yesterday the Russian President slipped the palm tree a little bit after days in which Europe was on the brink of war , a really good sign. It would be a victory for diplomacy, for persistent negotiations, to which Chancellor Olaf Scholz also made a contribution with his inaugural visit.”
“OM Media” (Cloppenburg / Vechta): “If Russia withdraws some of its troops from the Ukrainian border, it may look like an easing in the conflict with Kiev and the West. But the situation remains highly explosive. The troop strength of the deployment continues to pose a blatant threat It is also unclear whether Moscow’s announcement that it is reducing the number of its soldiers in the region is not just a tactic, a tactic that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin can use to present himself as a man of good will. He would also be able to continue to emphasize Russia’s role as a victim if there were no progress in the talks – a key part of his propaganda.”
“Badish newspaper” (Freiburg): “But now Vladimir Putin has decided to pursue his goals in a different way for the time being. Only he knows the reasons, but a war would have been a catastrophe for Russia too. Putin learned about his demands after the meeting with Olaf Scholz has made it clear that he is not moving away, even if the Kremlin chief has in many cases weakened rather than strengthened his position by stoking fears of war: The West would do well to engage in serious negotiations, as promised by the Chancellor in Moscow, despite often irreconcilable positions Otherwise the next crisis is not far away. Putin has enough leverage, from a new escalation in the Ukraine conflict to the recognition of the Donbass republics to the stationing of nuclear missiles a minute’s flight from Warsaw and Berlin.”
“Leipziger Volkszeitung”: “At the same time, Putin knows that it can do the injured Russian soul good in the short term if he acts as if we are living in times of Soviet world power. And that he gets the full attention of the West if he signals that he is ready to break the rules at any time . That could be dealt with to some extent if one could be sure that Putin would not, in the truest sense of the word, cross the line. But you can’t do that.”
“Fulda Newspaper”: “It is important that the diplomatic efforts of the NATO and EU countries, which have been intensive for weeks, are finally successful. Scholz undoubtedly played a part in this. But the withdrawal of a few Russian army units is only to be understood as a symbol. Putin gives a bit here because he knows that the West will not negotiate the Ukraine conflict if the country has the gun pointed to its chest.Ukraine could benefit from its location between East and West by having good political and economic relations with both sides To do so, however, it would have to commit itself to neutrality – and vacate territories occupied by Russia.”
Source: Stern
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