Merkel Calls On EU To Create New Formats For Dialogue With Russia, Putin

Merkel Calls on EU to Create New Formats for Dialogue With Russia, Putin

The European Union should create new formats for dialogue with Russia and President Vladimir Putin in order to settle differences, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday

BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th June, 2021) The European Union should create new formats for dialogue with Russia and President Vladimir Putin in order to settle differences, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.

"There is no doubt that the EU, due to its geographic proximity and its responsibility for the Eastern Partnership countries, ... should provide an appropriate response to the Russian activity. From my point of view, we, as the EU , should therefore seek direct contact with Russia and the Russian president ... US President Joe Biden's negotiations with the Russian president are not enough, I welcome this, but the EU must also create formats for dialogue, there is no other way to address conflicts," Merkel told the German parliament.

The EU should formulate an agenda of common strategic interests with Russia, such as security and climate, the chancellor went on to say.

At the same time, Merkel called for creating new EU mechanisms for reacting to alleged provocations by Russia.