Merkel calls on Europeans to reach out to Putin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged European Union leaders to engage “directly” with Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking before the German parliament (Bundestag), Merkel considered that the Geneva summit between the US President Joe Biden and Putin in Geneva in the middle of this month does not need a direct contact with the Russian President, on the controversial issues.

The German chancellor said : “It is not enough for the American President to speak to the Russian President… The EU should also develop different modalities for talking” with Moscow.

The Europeans are to discuss the EU’s relations with Russia at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, which has been steadily deteriorating since Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and conflict with pro-Russian separatists erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

The EU’s relations with neighboring Russia are at the height of tension, described by EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell : “at its lowest level.”

The leaders will discuss the format of the dialog with Vladimir Putin, while Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron stress the need to hold meetings with the Russian president to address issues of importance to the European Union, according to European sources. However, it is uncertain that consensus will be reached.