Berlin and Kremlin Envoys to Meet over Ukraine, Says Source

A Russian service member drives a MT-LB multi-purpose amphibious armoured carrier during military drills at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region, Russia December 20, 2021. (Reuters)
A Russian service member drives a MT-LB multi-purpose amphibious armoured carrier during military drills at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region, Russia December 20, 2021. (Reuters)
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Berlin and Kremlin Envoys to Meet over Ukraine, Says Source

A Russian service member drives a MT-LB multi-purpose amphibious armoured carrier during military drills at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region, Russia December 20, 2021. (Reuters)
A Russian service member drives a MT-LB multi-purpose amphibious armoured carrier during military drills at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region, Russia December 20, 2021. (Reuters)

Senior German and Russian government officials have agreed to a rare in-person meeting next month in an effort to ease political tensions over Ukraine, a German government source said on Saturday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's foreign policy adviser Jens Ploetner and Russia's Ukraine negotiator Dmitry Kozak agreed to meet after a lengthy phone conversation on Thursday, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The German government has not made any official comment. A spokesman for Kozak declined to comment.

There have been a flurry of phone calls between western leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent months over Russia's military build-up on the Ukrainian border and resulting fears of an invasion.

In-person meetings between senior Western and Russian government officials have been few and far between, though US President Joe Biden held talks with President Putin in Geneva last June.

Since taking office this month, Scholz has emphasized the need for dialogue with Russia over its military build-up on the Ukrainian border while joining western allies in backing sanctions should Moscow invade.

Berlin doubts more than Washington whether Russia actually wants to attack Ukraine and is keen to de-escalate tensions, two government sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Critics accuse Germany of being beholden to Putin because of its need for Russian gas, attacking construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between the countries, bypassing Ukraine. Berlin says Nordstream 2 is not political and would be only one of several pipelines transporting Russian gas to Europe.

"The German side's goal remains to achieve a swift reactivation of the Normandy format," the German government source said, referring to multilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany.

SPD parliamentary leader Rolf Mutzenich told Reuters the party was not "naive" and knew who it was dealing with, adding that it still believes that engagement could help to de-escalate the Ukraine situation.



Dutch See Options for Netanyahu to Visit Despite ICC Arrest Warrant

 Netherlands' Prime Minister Dick Schoof talks during a press conference at the Ministry of General Affairs, in The Hague on November 11, 2024. (AFP)
Netherlands' Prime Minister Dick Schoof talks during a press conference at the Ministry of General Affairs, in The Hague on November 11, 2024. (AFP)
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Dutch See Options for Netanyahu to Visit Despite ICC Arrest Warrant

 Netherlands' Prime Minister Dick Schoof talks during a press conference at the Ministry of General Affairs, in The Hague on November 11, 2024. (AFP)
Netherlands' Prime Minister Dick Schoof talks during a press conference at the Ministry of General Affairs, in The Hague on November 11, 2024. (AFP)

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Friday said there could be options for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the Netherlands without being arrested, despite the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant against him.

His words seemed to tone down a previous stance by his foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp, who last week in parliament said the Netherlands fully cooperates with the ICC, explaining that meant "we act on arrest warrants for people who are on Dutch territory".

Schoof on Friday said there were still scenarios within the Netherlands' duties towards the ICC in which Netanyahu would not be arrested, depending on the reason of his visit.

"The most important thing is that we have obligations that come from the treaty (on which the ICC is based), and that we comply to them," Schoof said at a news conference.

"In light of that, we would have to see how we act when the prime minister of Israel were to come to the Netherlands. There are possible scenarios, also within international law, in which he would be able to come to the Netherlands without being arrested."

Schoof did not elaborate on the circumstances under which Netanyahu could come. Last week he said it might be possible for Netanyahu to visit an international organization located in the Netherlands, such as the UN watchdog for chemical weapons OPCW, without being arrested.

The Netherlands is also host nation to the ICC, which is located in The Hague.

The ICC issued arrest warrants last week for Netanyahu, his former defense chief Yoav Gallant and a Hamas leader, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

Though all EU member states are signatories to the ICC's founding treaty, France said on Wednesday it believed Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the ICC, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes.

Italy has said it is not feasible to arrest Netanyahu as long as he remains head of Israel's government.

Israel, which launched its offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas's deadly attack on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, has said it will appeal against the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.