**Scholz Calls for Peace in Rare Conversation with Putin, Condemns Deployment of North Korean Troops**

In a notable conversation held after nearly two years of silence, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine and condemned Russia's use of North Korean forces in the conflict. According to government sources, Scholz described this deployment as a "grave escalation." The Kremlin, while acknowledging the discussion, labeled it as a "detailed and frank exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine."

During the roughly hour-long call, Scholz reaffirmed Germany's steadfast support for Ukraine and criticized the Russian air strikes targeting civilian infrastructure. He pressed Moscow to engage in direct negotiations with Kyiv to establish a "fair and lasting peace."

Before speaking to Putin, Scholz consulted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and planned to brief him again post-conversation. Zelensky referred to the call as a "Pandora's box," suggesting it could undermine Putin's diplomatic isolation.

The conversation, reportedly initiated by Germany, comes at a politically sensitive time for Berlin. Amidst deteriorated German-Russian relations—attributable to what Putin described as Germany's "unfriendly course"—Scholz faces significant internal pressure. With elections approaching in February and his coalition government recently collapsing, Scholz is leading a minority government and struggling in the polls.

Critics in Germany from the far-right AfD and the new far-left populist BSW accuse Scholz's administration of insufficient efforts towards peace negotiations, gaining traction amongst voters. Germany's political landscape has been further destabilized by the ongoing war, which has profound political and economic repercussions.

In the conversation, Putin reportedly insisted that any peace agreement must recognize the territorial changes since Russia's invasion in 2022 and blamed NATO's policies for the conflict. Scholz is also believed to be seeking dialogue with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a tepid supporter of Russia, at the upcoming G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

The dialogue between Scholz and Putin marks the first direct interaction since December 2022 and signifies a potential shift towards finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.