Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reaffirmed Germany's support for Ukraine after taking flak for speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that no decision on ending the war with Russia would be taken without Kyiv.

The wildly unpopular chancellor's much-criticized decision to phone the Kremlin comes three months before he faces stiff challenges from the populist left and right.

Support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to lead Germany’s Social Democrats into an early election is starting to crumble within his own ranks, according to people familiar with the situation.