Scholz plans to speak to Putin 'soon'
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Scholz made the comments while speaking at the German Protestant Church Congress.
The chancellor said that he already spoke with Putin before the start of the war and intended "to do so again soon."
Scholz reiterated Berlin's position that the withdrawal of Russian troops would be a precondition for negotiations with Moscow, saying that this would be the only way to ensure a "fair peace."
"It's not reasonable to force Ukraine to approve and accept the raid that Putin has perpetrated and that parts of Ukraine become Russian just like that," Scholz added.
The chancellor said that he considered that Berlin had made the right decision in acting "in a coordinated manner" with its partners on Ukraine. He added that Germany felt committed to this principle since the start of the war early last year.
Responding to shouts from the crowd urging the chancellor to "negotiate," Scholz said: "Negotiating is OK. The question is: who negotiates with whom and about what?"