Speaking from Italy shortly before leaving for Switzerland, where a Ukraine conference opens on Saturday, Scholz said Putin’s proposals - for Ukraine to abandon four provinces Russia claims, stop fighting and drop its ambition of NATO membership - were aimed only at distracting from the conference.

Vladimir Putin says West needs to find a way to work with Russia.

“Everyone knows that this was proposal wasn’t meant seriously, but had something to do with the peace conference in Switzerland,” he told ZDF television in an interview.

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World leaders were gathering in Switzerland for a summit aimed at pressuring Russia to end its war in Ukraine.