Official announcements from the German government or credible news sources such as Reuters or BBC

Scholz Denies Alleged Plans to Meet Putin Before German Elections Amid CDU Claims and Legal Action

Jan 5, 2025, 02:06 PM

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has firmly denied allegations that he plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the upcoming German parliamentary elections on February 23. The claims, made by Roderich Kiesewetter, a defense spokesperson for the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), suggested that Scholz might travel to Moscow or meet with Putin. Scholz described these allegations as 'false' and 'deeply indecent,' stating there were no plans for such a meeting. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Germany, led by Scholz, has criticized Kiesewetter's statements as baseless and misleading. In response to the accusations, the German government, through its spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, announced that it is preparing legal action against Kiesewetter for defamation. Additionally, the Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, has also denied any plans for Putin to meet with Scholz or U.S. President Donald Trump.