German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said, Deutsche Welle reported.

During the hour-long conversation, the two sides expressed their different views.

Scholz called on the Russian leadership to immediately cease all hostilities and demanded that Putin ensure access for humanitarian aid in the areas of fighting.

For his part, the Russian president informed Scholz about plans to hold the third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks at the end of the week.