Germany's Scholz holds first official call with Ukraine's Zelenskiy since Putin talk

Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Germany's continued military support in their first official call since Scholz spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.

"I agreed with Zelenskiy that we will remain in contact - also with a perspective to possible paths to a just peace," wrote Scholz on social media platform X on Friday.

A German government spokesperson said the exchange was "constructive" and that Zelenskiy had thanked the German government for its military support, particularly air defence.

It is the first official call between Zelenksiy and Scholz since the German leader held an hour-long call with Putin on Nov. 15 that the Ukrainian leader said opened a "Pandora's box" that undermined efforts to isolate Putin and end the war in Ukraine with "a fair peace."

Scholz defended the call with Putin, their first direct communication in almost two years, saying it was important to tell him he cannot count on German support for Ukraine to wane.