German chancellor urges Putin to agree to ceasefire as counteroffensive advances | Ukraine latest

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for a diplomatic solution to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and demanding a cease-fire.

The Chancellor's office confirmed the call between the two leaders, saying it lasted 90 minutes.

Scholz is said to have "urged" Putin to "come to a diplomatic solution as quickly as possible, based on a ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Russian forces and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Ukraine," according to the chancellor's spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.

The German chancellor also spoke about the security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, urging Putin to "avoid any escalation and implement in full the measures recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency."

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