FALSE: Zelenskyi is secretly negotiating with Russia about the surrender of Ukraine — Olaf Scholz

Information is being spread online that Olaf Scholz allegedly said that Volodymyr Zelenskyi is secretly negotiating with Russia to “surrender” Ukraine on Putin’s terms. The author of the post refers to the video of blogger Oleh Zhdanov, who claims that the negotiations are taking place at the level of advisers and that the political leadership of Ukraine is going to sign peace on “incomprehensible” terms.

However, this is false. Scholz did not say that Ukraine is conducting secret negotiations with Russia. Instead, the chancellor only said that solutions that could start the peace process were being discussed.

On March 25, Olaf Scholz in an interview with the Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung did say that a number of countries, including Ukraine, are discussing solutions at the level of security advisers that could lead to a peace process. However, the Chancellor of Germany did not say that the government of Ukraine is conducting secret negotiations with Russia about signing a peace agreement, as Zhdanov thinks. Although Scholz did not specify the details of the discussions, he says that the war can be stopped at any time, but for this to happen, Putin must first withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine.

“A number of countries, in particular Ukraine, are currently discussing at the level of security advisers what could lead to a peace process. But let me be clear: peace is possible at any time. Putin just needs to stop his barbaric campaign and withdraw his troops,” said Olaf Scholz.

In November 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba assured that Ukraine is not conducting any secret negotiations with the Russian Federation. Dialogue with Moscow will be possible only after the withdrawal of enemy troops from Ukraine’s territory. In January of this year, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also said that he saw no signs of imminent negotiations between Ukraine and Russia regarding a long-term ceasefire.