It's a matter for Chancellor Scholz who he speaks to – UK PM on Scholz's call to Putin

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has commented on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's phone call to Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin, emphasising that the decision on such communications rests with Scholz.

As reported by Sky News, Starmer indicated that he had no plans to talk to Putin.

"It's a matter for Chancellor Scholz who he speaks to. I have no plans to speak to Putin," he said.

Starmer noted that the 1,000th day since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is drawing near.

He also commented on the likely involvement of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine, saying that it "shows the desperation of Russia" but also noted that it has "serious implications for European security".

For this reason, he urges world leaders to "double down on shoring up our support for Ukraine", which he referred to as "top of my agenda" at the G20 summit.

On the afternoon of 15 November, it was reported that Scholz had spoken to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin for the first time in two years. At the time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy labelled the call a "Pandora's box".

In his turn, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that the latest large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine proved the ineffectiveness of telephone diplomacy.