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.

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone for an hour on Friday afternoon, a German government source said on Friday. Scholz and Putin last spoke directly in December 2022, the government said.