German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Moscow today to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the day of the anniversary of the nerve gas attack against opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was then cured in Berlin.
In what will be Merkel's last visit to Russia, the Chancellor's staff made it clear that the timing of the meeting is not accidental, given that (as her spokesperson Steffen Seibert said) "our requests have not yet been met. ", the case is" unsolved "and is a" heavy burden "on relations between the two countries.
The two leaders are expected to discuss the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine (Merkel's latest attempt to revitalize the Normandy format to achieve peace in Donbass) and authoritarian repression in allied Belarus. of iron of Russia.
But on the table there should also be the closure of the Nord Stream 2 dossier, the disputed gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, now completed, which should become fully effective by the end of the year.
Germany remains one of Russia's main partners in Europe and around the world,
Putin
said
at the opening of his meeting with Merkel.
Putin said he was convinced that the summit will not only be a farewell trip by Merkel but "full of content".
Tass reports it.
Russia and Germany must continue the dialogue despite the controversies, the German chancellor said.