FAZ Early Thinkers: What message is Putin giving to the press?

The most important things for you this Tuesday:

Daniel Mohr

Editor in the economy of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.

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1. When is Olaf Scholz going to the Ukraine?

2. Nehammer's talk with Putin "hard and direct"

3. First cabinet reshuffle of the traffic light coalition

1. When is Olaf Scholz going to the Ukraine?

The voices are getting louder, Germany too must send a signal and the Federal Chancellor must travel to Kyiv.

The Ukrainian President Selenskyj sees movement.

CDU and FDP:

According to votes from the Union parties, politicians from their own coalition are now calling on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to travel to Ukraine for the first time.

FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai said: "Personally, I would welcome it if the Chancellor traveled to Kyiv." Most recently, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer had been in Kyiv, as had EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

Telephone call:

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj was recently satisfied with Scholz.

"I'm glad to see that the German position is changing in favor of Ukraine recently," he said of the recent phone call with Olaf Scholz.

He thanked the German people for supporting Ukraine.

"But I expect that what we have agreed will also be realized."

Weapons:

In a speech to the South Korean parliament, Zelenskyy again called for a rapid expansion of arms deliveries to his country.

Many observers expect a Russian offensive soon.

Zelenskyy said that this would not only save lives in Ukraine, but also protect other states from a further increase in Russian aggression.

In an interview with the American broadcaster CBS, he warned against refusing aid to Ukraine for fear of a nuclear escalation: "No one in the world can predict what Russia will do, regardless of whether there is war in Ukraine or not." Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) endorsed the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine at the start of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg.

The German armaments group Rheinmetall has announced its willingness to deliver up to 50 Leopard 1 main battle tanks.

That would be possible in six weeks.

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2. Nehammer's conversation with Putin "hard and direct"

The Austrian Chancellor is the first EU head of government to seek direct contact after the start of the war.

Today Putin wants to appear before the press.

Horrible:

After his meeting with Vladimir Putin at the residence in Nowo-Ogaryovo, the Austrian Chancellor reported that he spoke very clearly about the war crimes and the horrific pictures from Bucha.

It was very direct, open and hard.

He made it clear to Putin that the sanctions will not end and will continue to be tightened as long as people are dying in Ukraine.

Without pictures:

At the request of the Austrians, there was no press conference and no public pictures of the meeting.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the gas issues, which are very topical for Austria, and payment in rubles.

Nehammer had previously exchanged views with the Ukrainian President Selenskyj in Kyiv.

Austria traditionally has close ties to Russia, is not a NATO member, but clearly condemns the war.