INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Germany's Olaf Scholz on Friday of playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir
Putin after the chancellor spoke by phone to the Kremlin chief for the first time in almost two years.In the call, Scholz "condemned
Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and called on President Putin to end it and withdraw troops," the Chancellor's spokesman
Steffen Hebestreit said.The German leader "urged Russia to show willingness to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a just and
lasting peace," Hebestreit added in a statement.The Kremlin confirmed the call between Scholz and Putin, which it said was held at the
invitation of the German side.Separately, Zelensky said Friday that Russia's war against his country will "end sooner" than it otherwise
would have done once Donald Trump becomes United States president next year."It is certain that the war will end sooner with the policies
of the team that will now lead the White House
This is their approach, their promise to their citizens," Zelensky said in an interview with Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne.The Kremlin
described Putin's call with Scholz as a "detailed and frank exchange of views over the situation in Ukraine."Putin told the German leader
that any agreement to end the war in Ukraine "should take into account the security interests of the Russian Federation," the Kremlin
added.An accord should "proceed from the new territorial realities and, most importantly, address the root causes of the conflict."Russia
has demanded Ukraine surrender four regions as a precondition for talks, which Kyiv has rejected.Ukraine responded angrily to Berlin
reviving its lines of communication with Moscow
The call had opened a "Pandora's box," Zelensky said."This is exactly what Putin has been wanting for a long time: it is extremely
the chancellor's spokesman said, but the early warning failed to quell Kyiv's concerns."What is needed are concrete, strong actions that
will force him to peace, not persuasion and attempts at appeasement, which he sees as a sign of weakness and uses to his advantage,"
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said.As well as Ukraine, Scholz also notified the countries of the so-called Quad, which includes France, the
United States and Britain, a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron said.The chancellor's message to Putin was not "coordinated"
between the allies but the French side expected to be informed on the contents, the source said.During the hour-long call, Scholz "condemned
in particular Russian air strikes against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine," a German government source said.Scholz "made it clear that
sending North Korean soldiers to Russia for combat missions against Ukraine would lead to a serious escalation and expansion of the
conflict," the source said.The German and Russian leaders "agreed to remain in contact," while Berlin would keep its allies updated, the
source added.Scholz will have an opportunity for discussions at a meeting of G20 leaders in Brazil next week, from which Putin will be
notably absent.Putin has spoken to few NATO and Western leaders since 2022 when the EU and the United States imposed massive sanctions on
Russia for launching its shock Ukraine offensive.His last known phone call with the leader of a major Western country was his previous
conversation with Scholz in December 2022.Trump factorAlmost 1,000 days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukraine is bracing
for what could be the most difficult winter of the war so far.Much of Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been destroyed by Russian
bombardments and Kyiv's troops are increasingly on the back foot.Germany has been one of Ukraine's biggest military supporters, second
only to the United States in the aid it has sent to Kyiv.But the election of Trump, who has criticized aid to Ukraine, as the next United
States president, has called into question Washington's continued support.Trump said on the campaign trail that he could end the fighting
within hours and has indicated he would talk directly with Putin.Still, Zelensky told media outlet Suspline Friday that he had a
"constructive exchange" with Trump during their telephone conversation after his election victory."I didn't hear anything that goes against
our position," he added.The Kremlin has denied reports that Putin and the United States president-elect recently discussed the Ukraine
conflict by phone.Scholz, who did speak with Trump following his election win, told the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Friday that the
incoming United States leader had a "more nuanced" position on the conflict than was commonly assumed.Following the Putin-Scholz call,
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had been updated by the German leader on the discussion.Tusk was "satisfied" that Scholz had
"reiterated the Polish position: 'Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," he said on social media platform X.
