Scholz-Putin phone call opens Pandora's box, says Zelensky

It hurts efforts to isolate Russian leader and end war with 'fair peace': Ukrainian President

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President Volodymyr Zelensky said the German Chancellor's phone call with Russia's leader on Nov 15 opened a "Pandora's box" that undermined efforts to isolate Mr Vladimir Putin and end the war in Ukraine with a "fair peace".

A German government spokesperson said Mr Olaf Scholz urged Mr Putin to begin talks with Kyiv that would open the way for a "just and lasting peace" as the leaders held their first phone call since December 2022 as the war in Ukraine rages on.

"Olaf's call, in my opinion, is a Pandora's box. Now there may be other conversations, other calls," Mr Zelensky said. "This is exactly what Putin has long wanted: It is extremely important for him to weaken his isolation and to conduct ordinary negotiations that will not end in anything."