Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin had their first telephone conversation in almost two years today, according to German media citing government sources.
According to the same sources, the conversation, the first since December 2022, lasted an hour. The German chancellor had recently repeatedly hinted that a phone call with the Russian president would be expected.
Scholz also called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and reaffirmed Germany's continued support for Ukraine, a German government spokesman said.
The talk comes as Ukraine faces increasingly difficult conditions on the battlefield amid shortages of weapons and personnel as Russian forces make steady advances.
"The chancellor asked Russia to show readiness to enter into talks with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace," the spokesman said in a statement.
"He emphasized Germany's unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression for as long as necessary," the spokesman added.
According to a statement from the chancellery, Scholz spoke with Zelensky two days ago.