German chancellor addresses Putin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, Report informs, citing UNIAN that DW reported it.

"He made the appeal during a speech at an election rally of the Social Democratic Party in Lübeck," writes DW.

According to Scholz, Putin is characterized by imperial thinking, "known to us from the XIX, XVIII, XVII and other centuries".

"You are destroying the future of your own country," the chancellor said.

He urged the Russian president to immediately cease fire and withdraw his troops from Ukraine, recalling that Western sanctions are already heavily affecting Russia's economic development.

The German chancellor also assured the Kremlin that Berlin would continue to transfer defensive weapons to Ukraine.