A Call for Peace: Scholz Urges Putin to Cease Aggression

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the war in Ukraine during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He urged Russia to negotiate for peace and withdraw its troops. Scholz's call follows discussions with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and criticized North Korea's troop support to Russia.

In a significant diplomatic exchange, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz strongly condemned Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. This marks the first such conversation between the two leaders in two years, as reported by the German government.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit revealed that Chancellor Scholz labeled the war as Russia's 'war of aggression' and emphasized the necessity for Russia to pull back its troops to achieve a just peace in Ukraine. Scholz also reaffirmed Germany's unwavering support for Ukraine amidst continued Russian aggression.

The dialogue occurred after Scholz consulted with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and he plans to continue discussions with him post-call. The German leader criticized Russian air raids on Ukrainian infrastructure and warned against North Korea's alleged troop deployment in support of Russia, highlighting the potential escalation in the conflict. The call's duration was about one hour, according to German news agency DPA, while the Russian side remained silent on the conversation.

(With inputs from agencies.)