German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than 75 minutes on Friday. This is their first conversation since late March.

The call, according to German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, was focused on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and efforts to stop it.

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Scholz encouraged Putin to conclude a cease-fire agreement with Ukraine as soon as possible and to improve the humanitarian situation.

In addition, the German Chancellor “clearly rejected the (Kremlin) accusation that Nazism was widespread in Ukraine,” Hebestreit contends.

Scholz “reminded (Putin) that Russia has a special responsibility” when the two leaders discussed the global food situation Hebestreit issued a statement in response to the issue as a key worldwide provider.

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Scholz’s office said in a statement during a 75-minute call between the leaders that the chancellor and Russian president discussed the global food situation, which is particularly strained due to Russia’s actions.

“The chancellor reminded him that Russia bears a particular responsibility here.”

Prior to the invasion, Ukraine was regarded as the world’s breadbasket, with its ports shipping 4.5 million tonnes of agricultural produce every month – 12 percent of the world’s wheat, 15 percent of its corn, and half of its sunflower oil.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, has stated that the country has entered a new phase of the conflict.

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Reznikov promised to arm a million fighters with new weaponry and military equipment donated to the country in recent weeks by the United States and other Western countries.

According to the defence minister, “volunteers were extremely helpful,” and their mobility allowed them to “quickly resolved highly pressing issues.”