German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday that it's “absolutely necessary” for some leaders to talk directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid efforts to end the war in Ukraine, and he and France's president will continue to do so.
Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have held several telephone conversations with Putin, separately and together, since Russia's invasion began on Feb. 24. Those contacts have drawn some criticism — including from Poland's president, who said recently that they achieve nothing and serve only to legitimize the Russian leader.
