German chancellor asks Chinese president to use influence on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to promote peace

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to use his influence with Kim Jong Un since he enjoys close relations with the North Korean leader, to promote peace and security, according to German media.

It came during a 30-minute talk between the two leaders on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Rio where Scholz warned about an escalation in the Ukraine war because of the deployment of North Korean troops for Russia.

“Nobody should have to be afraid of their neighbors. A very central principle of peace in the world, which we are committed to very intensively," he said.

Scholz’s statement could be understood as a reference to the Russian war against Ukraine but also Taiwan, which feels threatened by its neighbor, China.

An unnamed German government spokesman said the chancellor reported his recent “sobering” phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Scholz spoke on the phone with Putin on Friday for the first time in almost two years, said German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.

“Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin this afternoon. The Chancellor condemned the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and called on President Putin to end it and withdraw troops,” according to Hebestreit.

“The Chancellor urged Russia's willingness to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of a just and lasting peace and emphasized the inviolable nature of Germany's determination to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression for as long as necessary,” he added.

Scholz and Putin last spoke on the phone for an hour Dec. 2, 2022. The chancellor is currently trying to hold a second Ukraine peace conference after a summit in Switzerland last summer, in which Russia could also participate. So far, there is no date planned.

The West has largely shut down communication channels to Moscow because of the Russian attack on Ukraine, which began in February 2022.​​​​​​​

The last time Scholz met Putin in person was a week before the Russian attack on Ukraine, during his inaugural visit to Moscow.