Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's phone conversation with Vladimir Putin had opened "Pandora's box", undermining efforts to isolate the Russian leader.
"Now there can be other conversations, other phone calls. Just a lot of words. And this is exactly what Putin has wanted for a long time: it is extremely important for him to weaken his isolation," Zelensky said in an afternoon speech.
According to a source in Volodomyr Zelensky's office, he was informed in advance of Scholz's plan to hold the conversation with Putin.
The same source reports that Zelensky told the German leader that his call would "help the Russian president by reducing his isolation and continuing the war in Ukraine."
Even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has reacted regarding the phone call between the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine's foreign ministry has said that "strong actions, not phone calls" are needed to push the Russian president "towards peace".
Reacting to today's phone call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin, Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said the calls "do not bring any additional value" to the path to peace, but are instead used by Putin to " achieve his interests".
The one-hour phone call between the two leaders was the first direct contact they have had since 2022, writes A2 CNN.
The Kremlin claimed this happened "at the initiative of the German side" and during the call, Putin said he was ready to resume negotiations on a peace deal.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that despite "deep disagreements" between the two states, "the very fact of dialogue is extremely positive."
Responding to the claims, Tykhyi said Putin sees "attempts at mitigation as a sign of weakness".