German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in negotiations with Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace.

In a telephonic talk with Putin yesterday , the German Chancellor said Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops against Ukraine was a grave escalation of the conflict and urged him to to end the war and pull Russian troops out of Ukraine.

He also stressed Germany’s unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary. Scholz condemned in particular the Russian air strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Putin said the current crisis is a direct result of NATO’s aggressive policies in what was described by the Kremlin as “a detailed and frank exchange of opinions”.

Putin and Scholz also reportedly discussed bilateral relations, with the former saying Moscow remains ready for “mutually beneficial cooperation” including on energy trade if the same view is shared by Berlin.