Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised a phone call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it has opened a "Pandora's box",
Sky News reports.
Friday night's call was the pair's first since December 2022, 10 months after Russia's land, air and sea invasion of its neighbour on 24 February that year.
In his evening address, Mr Zelenskyy, who has heavily relied on EU and US support to fend off what Mr Putin has branded a "special military operation" to demilitarise Ukraine, said the conversation between the two leaders undermined efforts to isolate the Russian leader.
"Now there may be other conversations, other calls. Just a lot of words," Mr Zelenskyy said.
"And this is exactly what Putin has long wanted: It is extremely important for him to weaken his isolation."
The call between Mr Scholz, whose Social Democrats party faces a snap election in February, and Mr Putin lasted for around an hour, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
In a statement, Mr Hebestreit said Mr Scholz condemned "Russia's war of aggression" during the conversation, calling on Mr Putin to end it by withdrawing troops.
"The chancellor urged Russia to be willing to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace and stressed Germany's unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression for as long as necessary," the spokesman said.
