Kremlin: Scholz's call for withdrawal of Russian troops shows misunderstanding of realities

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's words about the need to withdraw Russian troops from the combat zone in Ukraine show that he hardly understands the real situation.

Peskov called Mr. Scholz's position "not a demand, but reflections," according to Kommersant.

"These reflections hardly indicate that the German side understands reality, understands the real state of affairs on the ground," the Kremlin spokesman commented on the position of the German chancellor during a press call.

On September 17, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the condition for the start of peace talks in the Ukraine conflict was the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. 

"The condition is that Russian President [Vladimir Putin] must agree to withdraw troops, this is a condition for negotiations," Scholz said at a federal congress of one of the country's largest trade unions, Ver.di, adding that calls for peace talks were "cynical."