For the first time in nearly two years, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the Russian leader Vladimir Putin. German commentators are speculating about the politician's motivations. Was it the start of an election campaign,

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius defended Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent call with Vladimir Putin, saying it was important to state Germany's expectations directly. Read also: Germany rules out deploying troops to Ukraine, says Boris Pistorius He ...

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.