STRETCH OUT

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Gets Vladimir Putin’s Big Table Treatment

The big table is believed to be an anti-coronavirus measure but has become a potent symbol of East-West mistrust.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was seated at Vladimir Putin’s giant conference table Tuesday, as he met with the Russian president in the latest attempt by a European leader to avert war in Ukraine. Scholz, like French President Emmanuel Macron before him, had refused to take a COVID-19 test conducted by Russians prior to the meeting, reportedly having a German doctor administer the test instead. Scholz had visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Monday, and said after discussions with leaders there: “We are ready for very far-reaching and effective sanctions in coordination with our allies.” Germany is Russia’s largest trading partner in Europe, and the biggest consumer of Russian natural gas. Scholz has faced criticism for failing to specifically mention the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline when discussing sanctions.