BERLIN (Dow Jones) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) called on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to end the war of aggression in Ukraine. Scholz explained on the short message service Twitter that it had been a long conversation. Previously there had been no direct contact between Scholz and Putin for weeks.
According to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, the 75-minute talk was devoted to the ongoing war in Ukraine and efforts to end it.
Scholz highlighted three things from the conversation. “There must be a ceasefire in Ukraine as soon as possible. The claim that Nazis rule there is wrong,” Scholz said on Twitter. “And I pointed out to him Russia’s responsibility for the global food situation.”
According to Hebestreit, given the seriousness of the military situation and the consequences of the war in Ukraine, especially in Mariupol, Scholz urged Putin to bring about a ceasefire, an improvement in the humanitarian situation and progress as soon as possible the search for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 13, 2022 07:31 ET (11:31 GMT)