Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised German chancellor Olaf Scholz for speaking with Russian president Vladimir Putin over the phone for the first time in two years.Mr Scholz urged Putin to pull his forces out of Ukraine and open talks with Kyiv in order to set the region on course for a “just and lasting peace”.

Ukraine accused Olaf Scholz of opening a “Pandora’s box” after he held a phone call with Vladimir Putin in an effort to bring about an end to the war.