Germany's Scholz calls Russia's Putin in first such conversation in 2 years

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the war in Ukraine by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in the first such conversation in two years, the German government said.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Scholz condemned “Russia’s war of aggression” against Ukraine during the call, and called on Putin to end it by withdrawing troops that invaded the country in February 2022.

Scholz also urged Russia to be willing to negotiate with Ukraine toward achieving a just and lasting peace, and expressed Germany’s unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its fight, Hebestreit said in a statement.

It said Scholz had spoken beforehand with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and would do so again after the call with Putin.

The government statement did not say how long the call with Putin lasted, but German news agency DPA said it lasted about one hour.