Madeline Chambers, Sarah Marsh

MOSCOW/BERLIN, (Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was accused of being weak in leadership during the Ukraine crisis as well as softening on Russia. Yet, on Tuesday’s Kremlin visit, he appeared to be enjoying his confrontation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Political pundits wondered what Scholz’s mild-mannered performance would be when she took office in December. Russian officials are known for taunting or trying to outplay foreigners in an attempt to prove their worth.

Putin, despite Angela Merkel’s well-known dog fear, invited his Labrador black to a 2007 meeting.

Scholz, however, was uncharacteristically combative during his joint news conference to Putin during his day-trip Moscow. It was part of frantic diplomaty to avoid a Russian invasion. However, he maintained his quiet and measured tone.

Putin attacked NATO in 1999 and claimed it had started a war by bombing ex-Yugoslavia. However, Scholz retorted, claiming that this was done in order to prevent genocide. This refers to persecution of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo.

Putin replied that Russia considered treatment of ethnic Russians within the Donbass area of eastern Ukraine genocide. Scholz stated that Putin was incorrectly using the term genocide in a separate news conference.

Scholz also poked fun at Putin’s fear of NATO’s Eastern Enlargement, given that it wasn’t on the agenda anytime soon and because of his long tenure at the helm.

He said with a smile towards Putin, “I don’t know exactly how long the president intends to remain in office.” “I feel this could take a while but I don’t think it will be for ever.”

He was praised by some analysts for raising concerns about civil rights issues, and meeting up with different activists.

Scholz smiled when reporters asked him about his jousting with Putin. He said that it gave an idea of the “intense” four hour talks.

Some still believe he has ceded too much Russia, minimising the likelihood of Ukraine becoming NATO member.

He could be reaffirmed as a top European political player by his more assertive tone. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, had been leading the charge on Ukraine with a Moscow trip. However, it was not without its problems.

When Putin last week challenged NATO’s claim it was a solely defensive alliance at a joint press conference, the Russian leader failed to respond, noting that the bloc had been involved in offensive campaigns against Serbia, Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq.