Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the first time in nearly two years. German commentators are speculating on the politician's motivations. Was it related to the start of an election campaign or the G-20 summit in Brazil?

The wildly unpopular chancellor's much-criticized decision to phone the Kremlin comes three months before he faces stiff challenges from the populist left and right.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s refusal to provide long-range missiles comes after the White House reportedly allowed Ukraine to conduct long-range strikes inside Russia.