In the phone call on Friday, Scholz urged Putin to “end” his war against Ukraine and “withdraw troops.” The conversation lasted about an hour and was the first direct exchange between the two leaders in almost two years, German media reported.

“The Chancellor has urged Russia to be prepared to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of reaching a just and lasting peace,” a German government spokesperson said in a statement. Scholz informed Zelenskyy of the call in advance, the spokesperson said.

In recent months, Scholz has pushed for a second peace conference in Ukraine, in which Russia would also participate. In June, a first peace summit was organized in Switzerland, without the participation of the Kremlin.

Scholz and Putin agreed to remain in touch, a German government official said. The chancellor “stressed that the deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia for combat missions against Ukraine is associated with a serious escalation and expansion of the conflict,” the official added.

Scholz has long tried to strike an uneasy balance on Ukraine, touting the fact that Germany has provided more military aid to Kiev than any other European country while also portraying himself as a leader who can prevent the war from escalating the hand is running.

Scholz and Putin last spoke in December 2022, ten months after the Russian leader launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.