**Germany’s Leader Calls Russian President Despite Ukraine’s Objections**
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had planned to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin months ago. But he changed his mind after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told him not to.
According to Ukraine’s former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Scholz asked Zelenskyy if it was a good idea to call Putin in the past. When Zelenskyy said no, Scholz decided not to make the call.
**Why It Matters**
The news comes as some Western leaders are trying to talk to Russia about ending the war in Ukraine. US President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to stop the war quickly.
But Kuleba and Zelenskyy think it’s a bad idea for Germany to be talking to Russia now. They say it might give Russia too much power and make it harder to end the war.
**What Was Said**
Kuleba wrote on social media that Putin thinks he can win this situation by being stubborn. Zelenskyy has also spoken out against the call, saying it’s like “opening Pandora’s box”. This means that things could get worse and be harder to control.