Just now18 Nov 2024 20:46
German Chancellor Olaf Sholz has defended his decision to call Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, telling reporters " it was and still is the right thing to do".
Speaking to reporters at the G20 summit in Brazil, Scholz says he called Putin "because this must be made clear to him: He has a responsibility. He must end the war..."
Discussions at leadership level must take place for this to happen, he adds.
He also says he has "explained very clearly" why he thinks its right to not send Taurus missiles to Ukraine, adding that the missiles could only be used if "responsibility for targeting" was shared, and it is not something he can "take responsibility for".
He says: "We have a clear understanding that the powerful weapons we have supplied so far, the long-range artillery, the rocket launchers, cannot be used to penetrate deep into the Russian hinterland."