Berlin Chancellor Olaf Scholz has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans to recognize the so-called People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. “Such a step would be in blatant contradiction to the Minsk agreements on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and would be a unilateral breach of these agreements by Russia,” said a spokesman for Scholz after the Chancellor spoke to the Russian President on the phone.
The Chancellor called on Putin for immediate de-escalation and the withdrawal of the combined forces from the border with Ukraine. He emphasized that it is now important, especially in eastern Ukraine, to comply with the ceasefire and set signs of relaxation. Russia has a special responsibility here.
According to the Kremlin, Putin informed Scholz about his plans to recognize the two self-proclaimed people’s republics. Putin therefore intends to sign such a decree. French President Emmanuel Macron was also informed about the plans. The presidential administration in Moscow announced that both had governed with disappointment. The Kremlin announced that Putin would make a televised speech later that evening.
The conversation between Scholz and Putin was previously closely coordinated with French President Emmanuel Macron and also revolved around a possible summit with Putin and US President Joe Biden. The initiative for this came from Macron, who had called Putin twice and Biden once on Sunday.
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According to a government spokesman in Berlin, Scholz and Macron had been on the phone for a long time on Sunday evening. According to information from Macron’s seat of government, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American colleague Antony Blinken could prepare the presidential meeting during their talks on Thursday.
Putin sees “no prospects” for the implementation of the Minsk agreements
Scholz’s harsh tone is in response to an announcement by Putin that rules out peace in eastern Ukraine. “We have come to believe that there is no prospect” for the deals, Putin said at the National Security Council meeting.
In the Minsk Agreements mediated by Germany and France in 2014 and 2015 and jointly agreed with Ukraine and Russia, the parties to the conflict in eastern Ukraine committed themselves to several steps to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict. The increasing tensions in the Ukraine crisis are a “serious, very big threat” for his country, said Putin, adding that Ukraine was being used as an “instrument of confrontation” against Moscow.
Even if, for diplomatic reasons, not much was said about the phone call between Scholz and Putin. Shortly before, the Chancellor had given his assessment of the situation in the SPD committees. Party leader Lars Klingbeil said afterwards that he feared an imminent military escalation between Russia and Ukraine. Such an escalation could happen “in the next few days, in the next few hours”. It can be observed “that the Russian side is preparing for military action,” said Klingbeil.
>> Read here: Summit planned between Putin and Biden – Kremlin is cautious
Scholz is likely to have pointed out to Putin the consequences of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, as he did during his visit to Moscow a week ago. His government spokesman previously pointed out that the federal government and its allies would sharpen the agreed sanctions. “The world community is very determined,” it said. However, the spokesman did not want to commit himself to a precise definition of such a territorial violation.
There are different variants, he said, naming cyber attacks, false flag operations or large-scale invasion plans. “I think the definition we can all agree to is: we know when they happen,” the government spokesman said. Action will then be taken with great speed and unity.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also appealed to Putin. “Come back to the negotiating table,” she said at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. Only Russia can solve the crisis. But hopes for a peaceful solution are fading.
Media report on alleged death lists
According to a media report, Russia is preparing lists of prominent people to be arrested or killed in the event of an invasion. In the event of an invasion of Ukraine, Russia apparently wants to arrest or kill prominent political opponents, activists and exiled Russian and Belarusian regime critics. This is reported by the American magazine “Foreign Policy”, citing intelligence information.
Four sources familiar with US intelligence told the magazine that Russia is compiling lists of politicians and prominent figures to be targeted. The newspaper also claims to have learned that the Americans shared this information with the Ukrainian government. They did not respond to the request. The US government was shocked by the level of detail in the lists, according to Foreign Policy.
There was no official confirmation from the government for this report. However, a US official confirmed to the magazine that torture could also be used in the actions. In addition to politicians, activists and critics of the regime, journalists and vulnerable population groups such as religious and ethnic minorities as well as LGBTQI+ people should also be targets of the actions.
But there is also another reason for an attack. Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned Putin that Ukraine had concentrated significant troops on the so-called contact line. He suspects that Ukraine wants to recapture the areas occupied by pro-Russian separatists. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba immediately asked the members of the UN Security Council for an emergency meeting. According to his wishes, steps should be discussed to guarantee the security of his country and to reduce tensions with Russia.
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