German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday dismissed speculation from an opposition lawmaker about a possible trip to Moscow ahead of elections on February 23.
“I believe honest people are allowed to be outraged when false claims are being used,” Scholz added.
Scholz’s comments came after Roderich Kiesewetter of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) posted on X on Saturday: “We must prepare for an election campaign surprise.”
Kiesewetter asserted that there were increasing indications that “Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow or meet Putin before February 23”, the date of the election to Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit has already announced legal action against Kiesewetter for the comments.