Germany's Scholz discusses Ukraine with Russia's Putin in first such call in 2 years

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the war in Ukraine in a phone call Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the German government said, in the first such conversation in two years.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Scholz condemned ''Russia's war of aggression'' against Ukraine during the call, and called on Putin to end it by withdrawing troops that invaded the country in February 2022.

''The chancellor urged Russia to be willing to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace and stressed Germany's unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression for as long as necessary,'' Hebestreit said in a statement.

Scholz had spoken beforehand with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and would do so again after the call with Putin, the statement said.

The German leader condemned Russian air raids on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and warned that the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine would mark a serious escalation of the conflict.

The United States, South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

The German government statement did not say how long the call with Putin lasted, but German news agency DPA said it was about one hour. The Russian government did not immediately have any comment about the call.

The call comes as the conflict nears next Tuesday's 1,000-day mark since the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion by Russian troops.