Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held their first phone call in nearly two years on Friday. The two leaders discussed the Ukraine conflict and potential peace talks between Moscow and Kiev, according to German media reports, citing a government spokesperson. Plans for the direct talks were initially reported by German media earlier on Friday, while the Kremlin had only confirmed that Putin was set to hold an international phone call during the day, without providing details. However, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit has since confirmed to journalists that the conversation did indeed take place and lasted for nearly an hour.