German Government Rejects Claims of Planned Scholz-Putin Meeting

The SPD and Chancellor's Office strongly deny a CDU politician's assertion of an imminent Moscow trip by Olaf Scholz, calling it false and defamatory.

• CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter claimed on social media that Chancellor Olaf Scholz might meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow before the February 23 Bundestag election, describing it as a potential 'campaign surprise.'
• The SPD and the Chancellor's Office have categorically denied the claim, labeling it as baseless, defamatory, and harmful to fair election practices.
• SPD leaders, including General Secretary Matthias Miersch, have demanded Kiesewetter retract his statement, delete his social media post, and issue a public apology to Scholz.
• Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit announced that legal action is being prepared against Kiesewetter for what he described as 'malicious defamation.'
• The SPD has called on CDU leadership, including Friedrich Merz, to address the issue and consider Kiesewetter's suitability for his role in the Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee.

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