German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, September 13, called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine after a counterattack by Kiev forces made rapid progress.
Scholz in a 90-minute phone call “urged” Putin to “come to a diplomatic solution as soon as possible, based on a ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Russian forces and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.” “, according to Chancellor’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
The chancellor also encouraged his Russian counterpart to stick to an agreement allowing wheat exports from Ukraine, which Russia has repeatedly criticized.
Scholz told Putin “not to discredit and continue to fully implement” the wheat deal in light of the prolonged global food supply.
During the call, the German chancellor raised the issue of security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which has been a focal point of fighting in recent weeks.
In this regard, the German leader asked Putin to “avoid any escalation and fully implement the measures recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency”.
The IAEA has asked for a safety zone to be established after a mission to the plant earlier this month.
