Scholz Denies Putin Meeting Claims, German Government Threatens Legal Action Against Kiesewetter

Jan 5, 2025, 01:07 PM

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has firmly denied claims made by Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliament from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), that he planned to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before Germany's parliamentary elections on February 23. Scholz described the allegations as 'deeply indecent' and a 'false claim.' The German government has indicated it will take legal action against Kiesewetter for spreading what it considers to be false information. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also dismissed any plans for Putin to meet with Scholz or U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, stating that no such meetings are currently planned. The SPD, Scholz's party, has accused Kiesewetter of violating a fairness agreement among political parties, with senior SPD figures demanding that he retract his statement and apologize to Scholz.