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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated Russian President Vladimir Putin has by no means threatened him or Germany, following claims by Boris Johnson that Putin threatened the previous U.Okay. prime minister with a missile strike.
“Putin didn’t threaten me or Germany” within the cellphone conversations the chancellor has had with the Russian chief, Scholz advised German newspaper Bild in an interview revealed Sunday.
In a British documentary that aired final week, Johnson revealed that Putin threatened him in a protracted cellphone name in February 2022 simply earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine. “He stated ‘Boris, I don’t wish to harm you however, with a missile, it will solely take a minute’ — one thing like that,” Boris stated within the documentary, referring to Putin.
Johnson stated he took the Russian chief’s risk to be “enjoying alongside” with makes an attempt to get him to barter over Ukraine. The Kremlin has denied any risk.
Pushed within the Bild interview on whether or not Scholz had additionally acquired related threats throughout cellphone calls with the Russian chief, the chancellor stated “no.”
In his cellphone calls with Putin, “I make it very clear to Putin that Russia has sole duty for the struggle,” Scholz stated. “In our phone conversations, our very completely different positions on the struggle in Ukraine grow to be very clear,” he stated.
The chancellor additionally denied that Germany’s choice to ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine was a risk to Russia.
He stated that Germany is delivering battle tanks to Ukraine, together with different allies together with the U.S., in order that Kyiv “can defend itself.”
“This joint strategy prevents an escalation of the struggle,” Scholz stated.
Scholz’s feedback come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that “the state of affairs is getting harder” on the entrance strains of the struggle within the east of the nation. Moscow is throwing in “increasingly more of its forces to interrupt our defenses. Now, it is vitally tough in Bakhmut, Vuhledar, close to Lyman, and different instructions,” Zelenskyy stated in his nightly tackle late Saturday.
The U.Okay. Ministry of Protection stated on Sunday that Bakhmut “is increasingly isolated” following Russian advances within the space. “The 2 principal roads into the town for Ukrainian defenders are probably now each threatened by direct fireplace, following the Russian advances,” the ministry stated in a tweet.
As battles rage in japanese Ukraine, an early mediator between Russia and Ukraine initially of the struggle — former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who served for simply six months final 12 months — revealed that Putin early within the invasion had promised to not kill Zelenskyy. In an interview with the Related Press revealed Sunday, Bennett stated that in a go to to Moscow in March 2022 he requested Putin if the Kremlin was planning to attempt to kill the Ukrainian chief.
“He stated ‘I gained’t kill Zelenskyy.’ I then stated to him ‘I’ve to grasp that you just’re giving me your phrase that you just gained’t kill Zelenskyy.’ He stated ‘I’m not going to kill Zelenskyy,’” Bennett advised the AP. Bennett stated that after his assembly, he known as Zelenskyy to tell him of Putin’s feedback.
The Kremlin has beforehand denied Ukrainian claims that Russia supposed to assassinate Zelenskyy.