Scholz: Wagner mutiny weakened Putin, but implications unclear

(Patria) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the failed rebellion in Russia last weekend weakened President Vladimir Putin, but the implications for his invasion of Ukraine remained unclear.

Speaking in a comprehensive, one-hour interview with ARD, Scholz reiterated the stance of US President Joe Biden, who said that the Wagner mercenaries' rebellion was part of an internal Russian power struggle and that the West was not involved, Reuters reports.

“I believe he is weakened because it shows that autocratic power structures have cracks in them and that he is not as firmly in the saddle as he always claims,” Scholz said.

Asked about the impact of the rebellion on the war in Ukraine, the German chancellor said that a precondition for successful peace negotiations is that Russia accepts that it must withdraw its troops from the country.

“Whether this has become easier or more difficult through these events is not entirely clear,” he said.

The chancellor said he does not want to engage in speculation about how long Putin will remain in power, stating that the West's goal is to support Ukraine to help it defend itself, not to bring about regime change.

Asked whether at any point on Saturday he hoped the rebellion would mean the end of Putin's rule, he said that would not make sense because it is unclear whether what would follow would be better.