German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost some of his grip on power after the armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, but vowed to maintain focus on supporting Ukraine.
(Bloomberg) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost some of his grip on power after the armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, but vowed to maintain focus on supporting Ukraine.
“It shows that there are cracks in the autocratic structures, the power structures, and that he is by no means sitting as solidly and firmly in the saddle,” Scholz said in an interview with public broadcaster ARD on Wednesday. “I do believe that he is weakened.”
Since cutting a deal with Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last weekend, Putin has sought to undercut any sympathy toward his one-time ally and show he’s firmly in control.
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The chancellor said the situation in Russia remains on edge and that Germany would proceed cautiously.
“Russia is a nuclear power,” he said. “Therefore we always have to look carefully when dangerous situations arise — and this is a dangerous situation.”
After breaking with Germany’s traditions of staying out of conflict zones, Scholz has positioned Europe’s largest economy as one of Ukraine’s top supporters, supplying tanks and other heavy weapons alongside financial aid.
“It is necessary to say clearly: we support Ukraine so that it can defend itself,” he said, adding that “the aim of our support for Ukraine is not regime change in Russia.”
Scholz declined to comment on how long Putin might be able to stay in power after the Wagner rebellion.
“I don’t want to participate in any speculation about how long he will be in office,” he said. “It could be long and it could be short, we don’t know.”
He added a leadership change in the Kremlin might not even be a good thing, saying: “We don’t know whether someone better or worse will come after Putin.”
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