MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a phone conversation on Friday to discuss the situation in Ukraine with an emphasis on the humanitarian aspect.
Putin outlined in detail the logic and main objectives of Russia's special military operation and spoke about measures being taken by the Russian side to ensure the safety of civilians, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Putin noted that civilians were evacuated from Mariupol's Azovstal plant with the participation of representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Putin also told Scholz his assessment of the Russian-Ukrainian peace negotiations, which are "essentially blocked by Kiev."
The two leaders agreed that the discussion on the aforementioned issues would continue through various channels. ■
