Scholz-Putin Hold 90 Min Call Amid Criticism Of German Ukraine Aid

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin has concluded a 90 minute phone call focused on the war in Ukraine.

• German govt spox says Scholz urged Putin to pursue a ceasefire and withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine - a prospect that appears slightly more realistic following the success of a Ukrainian counteroffensive over the weekend which liberated occupied territories in Kharkiv oblast.
• Scholz said that Germany would not recongnise any Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia.
• According to the German spox, the two leaders discussed the need to ensure the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, emphasised the importance of maintaining safe passage of grain and agricultural products, and agreed to remain in contact.
• The call comes as the German govt is criticised for lagging behind other Western allies in supplying military aid to Ukraine.
• German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said: “I would very much like to be able to give significantly more to Ukraine. If the Bundeswehr had not been so cut up in the years before, that would have been possible. But this is now the consequence of this irresponsible saving.”