German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks with Ukraine during their first conversation in nearly two years. Scholz condemned Russia’s aggression and stressed Germany’s ongoing support for Ukraine. He also expressed concerns about Russian air strikes targeting civilians and warned that involving North Korean soldiers would escalate the conflict. As Ukrainian forces face mounting pressure and uncertainty looms over U.S. support due to Donald Trump’s election, Scholz remains committed to coordinating with NATO and EU allies in response to the ongoing crisis.