Putin and Scholz held first phone call in two years – Berlin

The two leaders discussed the Ukraine conflict with the German chancellor calling on Moscow to hold peace talks with Kiev

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held their first phone call in nearly two years on Friday. The two leaders are said to have discussed the Ukraine conflict and potential peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.

Plans of the direct talks were initially reported by German media earlier on Friday, while the Kremlin had only confirmed that Putin was set to hold an international phone call during the day, without providing details.

However, according to German media reports, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit since confirmed to journalists that the conversation had indeed taken place and had lasted for nearly an hour.

According to Hebestreit, the German Chancellor “insisted on Russia’s readiness to negotiate with Ukraine in order to achieve a fair and lasting peace.” Scholz also spoke of Berlin’s“unwavering determination” to support Kiev “as long as necessary.”

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