German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, r) and Russian President Vladimir Putin look up aft respective hours of one-on-one talks astatine a associated property conference. Scholz met the Russian president for talks connected the concern connected the Ukrainian-Russian border.
Kay Nietfeld | representation confederation | Getty Images
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Russian President Vladimir Putin successful a uncommon telephone telephone connected Friday to statesman talks with Ukraine that would unfastened the mode for a "just and lasting peace."
In a one-hour telephone conversation, their archetypal successful astir 2 years, Scholz besides demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and reaffirmed Germany's continued enactment for Ukraine, a German authorities spokesperson said.
The telephone comes arsenic Ukraine faces progressively hard conditions connected the battlefield amid shortages of arms and unit portion Russian forces marque dependable advances.
"The Chancellor urged Russia to amusement willingness to participate talks with Ukraine with the purpose of achieving a conscionable and lasting peace," the spokesperson said successful a statement.
"He stressed Germany's unbroken determination to backmost Ukraine successful its defence against Russian aggression for arsenic agelong arsenic necessary," the spokesperson added.
Scholz spoke with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy up of his telephone with Putin and would little the Ukrainian person connected the result afterwards, the spokesperson said.
Germany is Ukraine's largest fiscal backer and its largest supplier of weapons aft the United States, whose aboriginal enactment for Kyiv appears uncertain pursuing Donald Trump's triumph successful the U.S. statesmanlike election.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the standard of Western fiscal and subject assistance to Ukraine and has suggested helium tin enactment a swift extremity to the war, without explaining how.
Scholz and Putin past spoke successful December 2022, 10 months aft Russia launched its full-scale penetration of Ukraine, plunging relations with the West into their deepest frost since the Cold War.
Scholz, the astir unpopular German chancellor connected record, is preparing for a nationalist predetermination connected Feb. 23 successful which his Social Democrats look stiff contention from left-wing and far-right parties that are captious of Germany's backing for Ukraine.
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