Macron, Scholz Urge Putin to Agree Ceasefire

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine during a 75-minute phone call on Saturday (March 12).

“The conversation is part of ongoing international efforts to end the war in Ukraine,” a spokesperson for Scholz said but noted that the participants had agreed not to say anything further about the precise detail of the discussions.

Scholz had earlier spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the situation, the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said Putin had slammed what he called the “flagrant violation” of international humanitarian law by Ukraine's forces, though the statement did not elaborate on what violations Putin had raised.

“Putin informed (them) about the real state of affairs," his office said in a statement. "In particular, numerous facts of the flagrant violation of the norms of international humanitarian law by Ukrainian security forces were cited,” the statement said. _BBC