Scholz and putin plan to have their first phone conversation in almost 2 years - Bloomberg

Russian dictator vladimir putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz plan to hold a phone conversation, their first direct conversation in nearly two years.

This was reported by Bloomberg.

Thus, sources of the publication informed on the condition of anonymity that the conversation between the leaders is planned for Friday.

The phone call will take place as Ukraine prepares for its third winter under threat of attack from russia, and much of the country's energy infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.

There is also growing uncertainty about support from Western allies ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House next year, while Germany is Ukraine's second-biggest backer after the US and has pledged billions of euros in additional aid.

It will be recalled that Europe is making a last call to the administration of Joe Biden on the eve of Donald Trump's coming to power to strengthen American support for Ukraine in order to strengthen Kyiv's position as much as possible before the end of the presidential term in January.

In particular, European leaders and officials have asked the US to provide Ukraine with more weapons and artillery, to impose additional sanctions against key russian revenue sources and to limit Moscow's ability to purchase banned weapons technologies.

Earlier, during the summit in Hungary, the leaders of the European Union discussed whether they would be able to provide support to Ukraine in the war in the event of Donald Trump's decision to end support for Ukraine from the United States.