Merkel Calls for “Direct Contacts” between EU and Putin

According to the German Chancellor, the dialogue between the presidents of the United States and Russia is not enough The European Union should seek to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to improve relations, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday. “From my point of view, we, as the European Union, should strive for direct contacts between Russia and the Russian president,” Merkel said in her probably last speech to the lower house of the Bundestag as chancellor. “It is not enough that the President of the United States is talking with the President of Russia. I very much welcome this, but the EU should also create forums for dialogue,” she added. Merkel will not run for a fifth term in elections in September.