Germany's government says that Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first such conversation in two years.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the German chancellor's phone call with Russia's leader on Friday opened a "Pandora's box" that undermined efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin and end the war in Ukraine with a "fair peace".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on 15 November, calling on the Kremlin leader to end the war and withdraw Russian forces from Ukraine. Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung;