Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to speaking to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as well as meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a midnight meeting with international news agencies on Wednesday.
Putin spoke on a range of matters, including what he called a resolution to the war in Ukraine and the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran.
Russia launched an illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite repeated attempts at negotiating an end to the war, including from US President Donald Trump, Putin has shown little interest in stopping the fighting.
What did Putin say about Merz?
The Russian leader said that if his German counterpart were to call and wanted to speak, he would take the call.
“We are always open to this,” Putin told the German news agency DPA.
However, Putin said he does not view Germany as neutral regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine, which Russia refers to as a “special operation.”
He said that Germany is on Ukraine’s side, supplying tanks to the country and thus participating in the hostilities, and is therefore not a mediator.
These were Putin’s first public comments on the chancellor since Merz assumed his position in May.
Later, Putin reiterated that Germany would directly participate in the war in Ukraine if it supplied Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv.
He said that even if the missiles were supplied, they would not stop Russian forces from advancing along the entire Ukrainian frontline.
Putin says he is ready to meet with Zelenskyy
The Russian president also said he was ready to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a “final phase” of negotiations.
“I am even ready to meet him but only if it is some kind of final phase,” he said.
However, Putin reiterated his assertion that Zelenskyy lost his legitimacy when his term ended last year.
Ukraine and its allies have rejected these allegations, as Ukrainian law bans elections during wartime.
“We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of settlement,” Putin said.
He noted that the previous round of talks had paved the way for the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Putin says Iran-Israel deal is possible
Putin also offered to mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran. He suggested that Moscow could negotiate a settlement allowing Tehran to pursue a peaceful nuclear program while addressing Israeli security concerns.
Putin said he shared Moscow’s proposals with Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Trump has already rejected Russia playing any role in the mediation. Moscow and Tehran share close economic and political ties, with Iran providing drones that have been used in attacking Ukrainian towns and cities.
Regime change in Iran, as has been called for by Israel, would likely be a major hit to Russia’s influence in the region, especially following the ouster of Russian ally Bashar Assad in Syria in December.
Putin acknowledged that it’s a “delicate issue,” but added that “in my view, a solution could be found.”
When asked how Russia would react if Israel killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Putin refused to answer, saying, “I don’t even want to discuss such a possibility.”
Edited by: Alex Berry
