Germany's Scholz talks with Russia's Putin on the phone

BERLIN - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone and called on Moscow to halt all military actions immediately, a German government spokesperson said on Friday.

Scholz also called on Putin to allow access for humanitarian aid in areas where fighting was taking place, while the Russian president announced a third round of Russia-Ukraine talks this weekend, a government spokesperson said in a statement.

During the one-hour conversation, the leaders agreed to hold further talks soon, the spokesperson said.