War in Ukraine: exchange between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin, Russian raid in Odessa… update on the situation

Scholz urges Putin to start negotiations with kyiv, Zelensky warns

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday and asked him to prepare to negotiate a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, said the German government spokesperson. The conversation, the first between the two leaders since December 2022, ten months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, lasted about an hour.

According to the German government spokesperson, Olaf Scholz asked Vladimir Putin to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine and reiterated that Berlin would continue to support kyiv as long as necessary. The chancellor also described the deployment of North Korean soldiers alongside the Russian army as “grave escalade”.

The Kremlin confirmed that the call had taken place, specifying that it was held at the initiative of Germany. According to the Russian news agency TASS, Vladimir Putin repeated to Olaf Scholz Moscow's position that any peace deal in Ukraine should address Russia's security concerns and take into account the “new territorial realities” by ratifying Russian military conquests.

Olaf Scholz, who is expected to run for a new term in early 2025 after the breakup of his coalition, had spoken with Volodymyr Zelensky before this call, his spokesperson said. The Ukrainian president denounced a telephone conversation which he believes breaks Vladimir Putin's isolation on the international scene and accused the German leader of opening “Pandora's Box”.

“Now there may be other conversations, other calls. Just a lot of words. And this is exactly what Putin wants: it is extremely important for him to come out of his isolation.” he declared during a speech. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in October that Vladimir Putin was not willing to discuss the terms of a possible peace deal in Ukraine with Olaf Scholz and criticized his lack of openness for discussions.

Russian raid in Odessa, one dead, 40,000 residents deprived of heating

Airstrikes carried out by Russia on Thursday evening in Odessa, southern Ukraine, left one dead and 10 injured and damaged a boiler room, local authorities report. “A multi-story residential building was destroyed in the center of Odessa, apartments were burned and damaged, as well as about 30 cars,” regional governor Oleh Kiper said on messaging platform Telegram.

“The boiler room is temporarily shut down and repairs are underway”he added. According to the mayor of Odessa, Hennadiy Troukhanov, 40,000 residents of the city were deprived of heating following this attack. The Ukrainian air force said it destroyed 25 of 29 drones fired by Russian forces overnight, as well as a Kh-59/69 guided missile.

Tusk welcomes Scholz telling Putin that 'nothing about Ukraine' will be done 'without Ukraine'

The Polish Prime Minister welcomed Friday that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call that nothing could be decided on Ukraine without the participation of this country torn apart by the war.

“I received a phone call from Chancellor Scholz reporting on his conversation with Putin. I was pleased to hear that the Chancellor had not only unequivocally condemned Russian aggression, but that he also reiterated the Polish position: nothing on Ukraine without Ukraine”wrote Donald Tusk on the social network