Putin's stance is obstacle to negotiations as there is no way for dictated peace - Olaf Scholz

Scholz shared his opinion on Friday during a discussion organized by the RND broadcaster.

"We all want this war to end and peace to be possible. This is the subject of all my conversations with the Russian president. I have not allowed criticism to dissuade me from telephone conversations with the Russian president at certain very long intervals," he said.

However, according to the German Chancellor, Putin's warfare hinders any diplomatic rapprochement: "with this murderous war that we are currently experiencing, Putin, first of all, prevented everything that previously happened in terms of negotiations."

Scholz stressed that he opposes a cease-fire on Russia's terms.

"First of all, Russia must realize that the idea of a dictated peace will not lead to anything and that you can't just walk around the territory with a felt-tip pen and say that this is now mine. Therefore, there will be no dictatorial peace, there must be a different understanding," he said.

The German chancellor recalled his talks with Putin in Moscow shortly before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russian president demanded that there should be “no missiles in Ukraine that threaten Moscow" and that Ukraine should not join NATO, and also the special status for certain regions in eastern Ukraine.

"None of the reasons that played a role there would justify this war because none of this happened," he stressed.