Scholz urges Putin to pull troops from Ukraine, enable diplomatic solution

Berlin, Dec 2 (EFE).- German chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Russia’s president Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine and to enable a diplomatic solution to the conflict as soon as possible, according to a Friday statement from the German government.

The leaders held a telephone conversation on Friday, the first time Sholz and Putin have spoken since September 13.

The German chancellor told the Kremlin chief that Germany would continue to “support Ukraine in ensuring its defense capability” in Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, according to a statement released by the Berlin Chancellery.

Scholz told Putin that a diplomatic solution, including a withdrawal of Russian troops, must be reached as soon as possible, the statement added.

During the hour-long call, the leaders discussed the global food crisis, and both “highlighted the important role of the recently renewed Grains Agreement under the aegis of the United Nations,” Berlin’s statement concluded.

In the Kremlin’s reports of the telephone meeting, Putin urged Scholz to “reconsider” his approach to the war in Ukraine.

“Attention was drawn to the destructive line of Western states, including Germany, which are pumping the Kyiv regime with weapons and training the Ukrainian military,” the Kremlin said.

Putin went on to say that “as a result of all this, as well as of the comprehensive financial support for Ukraine, Kiev keeps outright rejecting the very idea of talks,” the Kremlin statement said, according to Russian state media.

“In addition, it encourages radical Ukrainian nationalists to commit more heinous crimes against civilians,” the Moscow statement added.

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