The last time Scholz and Putin spoke on the phone was in December 2022.
According to Scholz, it was important to convey to Putin that he "cannot expect a reduction in support [for Ukraine] from Germany, Europe, and many other countries around the world."
The German politician shared that their "conversation was very detailed, but it led to the recognition that little has changed in Putin's views on the war," which is "not good news."
Commenting on the reason for the conversation with Putin, Scholz noted that after the elections in the United States, "it wouldn't be a very good idea if there were negotiations between the American and Russian presidents, while the leader of an important European country was not doing the same."