German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin leader’s first publicly announced conversation with the sitting head of a major Western power in nearly two years.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the German chancellor's phone call with Russia's leader on Friday opened a "Pandora's box" that undermined efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin and end the war in Ukraine with a "fair peace".

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;