According to the German chancellor’s office, French and German leaders have pushed Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage “direct [and] serious conversations” with Ukraine’s president.
For 80 minutes, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz chatted with Vladimir Putin on the phone.
According to the chancellor’s office, the two “insisted on a rapid ceasefire and the departure of Russian soldiers.”
According to the Kremlin, Russia’s president stated that Moscow was willing to resume talks with Kyiv.
The potential of direct talks between Mr Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, was not mentioned.
The Ukrainian president has previously stated that while he was not “excited” for negotiations; they would almost certainly be required to settle the crisis.
