After talks with Ukraine's president, Germany's chancellor meets with Putin

After talks with Ukraine's president, Germany's chancellor¹ meets with Putin

Transcript²

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday to try to persuade the Russian leader to pull back troops massed around Ukraine.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

What will it take to persuade President Vladimir Putin to pull back Russian troops currently massed around Ukraine? German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Putin in Moscow today in yet another diplomatic push to avert³ a potential Russian invasion that the West says could happen at any moment. Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry⁴ of Defense⁵ says some forces are pulling back from Ukraine's border, though there's been no confirmation⁶ of that from independent sources. Joining us on the latest is NPR's Charles Maynes from Moscow. Good morning.

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE⁷: Morning.

FADEL: So throughout this crisis, Charles, Russia has insisted it has no plans to attack Ukraine, while using this military buildup to issue security demands. Is there any sense of where Putin or Kremlin thinking is at this point?

MAYNES: Yeah, you know, it's clear the fundamental dynamics⁸ haven't changed for them. Tens of thousands of Russian troops remain stationed around Ukraine, and the Kremlin's demands that NATO pull back from Eastern Europe and bar Ukraine from membership in the alliance are definitely still there, as is Russian frustration⁹ that these demands haven't been met. Now, there have been some signals recently that Moscow is open to at least some more diplomacy¹⁰, which is important given the warnings coming out of Washington of an imminent¹¹ attack by Russia. Today, President Putin endorsed¹² the idea of more dialogue in his own way during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Let's listen in.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN: (Speaking Russian).

MAYNES: So here Putin's saying, who among us can say what will happen next? No one. But that it didn't depend just on Russia's actions. And Putin said Russia was still striving to overcome differences over these security concerns with the West by diplomatic means. You know, meanwhile, Russia's defense minister announced this week that Russian military exercises - and that's how Moscow always characterizes this buildup near Ukraine, as exercises - that that would be ending soon. Today, we heard from the spokesman at the ministry who said troops in Crimea and on Russia's western border had completed drills and would be heading back to their home bases. But, of course, all this needs to be verified, as does just how many troops are involved. Moreover, the Kremlin spokesman today suggested Russia may hold these drills again, arguing this is Russian territory, and Russia can do what it wants on it.

FADEL: So you mentioned Putin's comments alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who's in Moscow. What came out of those talks?

MAYNES: Yeah, you know, Scholz has been roundly criticized in the media and by some in the West for essentially¹³ sitting out of the Ukraine crisis - for example, not really engaging diplomatically until recently and also even offering hospital beds and helmets to Ukraine while the U.S. and other partners were sending weapons. But today, you know, in Moscow Scholz seemed to show that he was onboard with his Western allies. He stressed the importance of dialogue, saying that for European security, it meant - had to be built with Russia, not against it. He also said he felt that diplomatic options were far from exhausted¹⁴ and warned that a conflict would be a European tragedy for which Russia, too, would pay costs - hint there to Western sanctions.

Now, with Germany, the question has always been how far Scholz is really willing to go on that front. You know, would he, for example, be willing to kill Nord Stream 2? This is the not-yet-operational pipeline¹⁵ deal that exports Russian gas to Germany. Scholz seemed to imply he might but said the whole reason he was in Moscow was so it wouldn't come to that. You know, but clearly, Putin knows this is a divisive issue among allies in the West. Putin noted¹⁶ that average Germans must be thrilled that their gas prices are much lower than elsewhere in Europe.

FADEL: Russia's lower house of Parliament voted today to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of these separatist republics in the Donbas and east Ukraine. Did the two leaders have anything to say about that?

MAYNES: Yeah, we heard from Putin who said these lawmakers, as publicly elected officials, were expressing the views of a majority of Russians who were concerned about Russian speakers in east Ukraine. But really, it comes down to - I think this is more of a bargaining tactic¹⁷.

FADEL: OK.

MAYNES: The truth is that Russia hasn't done much to keep - really, to recognize these territories, at least not yet.

FADEL: NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Thank you.

MAYNES: Thank you.

1 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

9 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

10 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

11 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

12 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

14 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

15 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。