Talks with Putin only give him hope for weakening of international isolation - MFA Ukraine spox

That’s according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Heorhii Tykhyi, who commented on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s call with the Russian leader, Ukrinform reports.

"The German side has informed of its intention to hold a call with Putin. However, even if the German Chancellor did not express positions that contradict Ukraine's, conversations with the Russian dictator as such do not add any value to the pursuit of a just peace. For more than two decades, Putin has used lengthy conversations as a resource to advance his interests. Currently, conversations only give Putin hope of weakening international isolation," Tykhyi said.

He added that concrete strong actions are needed that would force Putin into peace, not persuasion and attempts of appeasement, which he perceives as weakness and uses to his advantage.

"Concrete actions are well known, most notably the withdrawal of occupational troops from Ukraine's territory," Tykhyi noted.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he condemned the war Russia is waging against Ukraine.

The last time Scholz spoke to Putin by phone was in December 2022.