We risk reverting to the troubling Normandy format: Johnson criticized Scholz's call to Putin.

The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, expressed his support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's skepticism regarding the recent phone call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Johnson emphasized the dangers of reverting to a negotiation format that distorts the true nature of the war. He also stressed that the only way to end this conflict is to significantly and swiftly strengthen Ukraine's position.

The former UK Prime Minister backed President Zelensky's statement that the conversation between Scholz and Putin is a "Pandora's box". Johnson further described such actions as a disgraceful betrayal of reality.

"We risk returning to the shameful Franco-German 'Normandy format,' which equated Ukraine and Russia as parties to an internal conflict. This is a complete betrayal of reality, where Putin is the aggressor and Ukraine is the innocent victim of his criminal invasion," Johnson wrote on social media platform X.

Content of Scholz's Call to Putin

The conversation between the German Chancellor and the Russian President took place on November 15. Scholz condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, called for negotiations, and urged Putin to cease aggression. He also highlighted that Germany's support for Ukraine would be enduring, and that the Kremlin's attempts to "buy time" are doomed to fail.

The Kremlin, in its report, referred to the conversation as an "open exchange of views" and reiterated that ending the war is only possible by considering Russia's interests and the "new territorial realities." Following this, the Ukrainian President sharply criticized the call, labeling it a dangerous "Pandora's box." He warned that such contacts only reduce Russia's international isolation and do not contribute to real peace.

"There will be no Minsk-3," Zelensky emphasized, noting that previous similar strategies only facilitated further aggression from Moscow. Ukraine requires not conditional agreements, but a just and real peace. The President also stressed that Ukrainian brigades are awaiting the necessary weapons, which is why the fight in the East continues under challenging conditions.