In a significant diplomatic outreach, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made his first phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin in two years, urging him to withdraw troops from Ukraine and engage in negotiations. Scholz emphasized the EU’s firm commitment to Ukraine and called for a just and lasting peace. Meanwhile, the Kremlin stated that Putin highlighted the need for any peace agreement to reflect the current territorial realities, suggesting that concessions from Ukraine may be necessary regarding regions under Russian control.