German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on 15 November, calling on the Kremlin leader to end the war and withdraw Russian forces from Ukraine. Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung;

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin in what appeared to be the first conversation with the sitting leader of a major Western power in nearly two years

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned German Chancellor Olaf Scholz against speaking to Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday, saying it would reduce the Russian leader's isolation and keep the war going,