From stern stares to intimidation by large dogs, relations between President Vladimir Putin and Chancellor Angela Merkel have rarely strayed from tension. For all the two leaders share – they speak each others’ language and have become heavyweights of international politics – politically, they could not be further away from one another. On sanctions, eastern Ukraine, Crimea, hacking, Syria and the Skripals, there still is no common view. As far as Ms Merkel is concerned, Mr Putin has been “living on another planet”. But as the German leader took part in talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, the Russian leader’s second residence, an unexpected rapprochement appears to be in the making. At an interim press conference, Mr Putin lauded a “healthy” renewed contact with Germany. And Ms Merkel agreed: “These negotiations are important and they will continue.” For this, the leaders have Donald Trump to thank. The US president’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal has set European leaders scrambling on a mission to save it. Read more Why it’s a big problem for Putin if the Balkan countries enter the EU Russia, a close ally of Iran, has been only too keen to assist. The Kremlin also… Read full this story
- Trump and Putin vow to tackle ISIS together as they hold breakthrough talks after billionaire's election
- Opinion: In wake of Navalny attack, what will become of German-Russian relations?
- Russian delegation in Syria to expand trade, economic ties
- The Latest: French, US officials talk tech tax at dinner
- US admits Iran shot down its drone; Republican lawmakers call for measured response to Tehran
- Opinion: Will Vladimir Putin ride out the Navalny storm?
- Trump's 'delusional' conversations with world leaders revealed in astonishing leak to Watergate's Bernstein: He and Putin are like 'two guys in a steam bath,' he trashes Obama AND Bush as 'don't know BS,' and called Merkel 'stupid' and Theresa May 'weak'
- Shameless Putin bounces on stage at rally to celebrate annexation of Crimea as Russia warns 'our response will not be long in coming' after May vows to expel 23 spies, cancels contact with Moscow and calls for sanctions
- Russia says there's no proof of Putin critic's poisoning
- Why instability in Belarus, Khabarovsk and Lebanon are problems Putin doesn't want
- Don't expect Europe to hold Putin accountable in Navalny poisoning
- U.S. Says Iran Must Leave Syria, Russia Can Stay, But Allies Keep the Oil
- Trump talks with Putin, foreign leaders in round of phone calls
- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is out of coma and responsive after suspected poisoning, hospital says
- Russian Top Gun 'headbutts' B-52: Dramatic footage shows Su-27 fighter jet with afterburner on cut in front of nuclear-capable US bomber to wash it in turbulence in dangerous intercept over the Black Sea
- Russian Su-27 fighter jets buzz US nuclear-capable B-52 bomber: Pilots repeatedly fly within 100ft of its nose and use their afterburners to wash it with turbulence over the Black Sea
- US Speeds Up Fall of Global Dollar System by Attacking Iran – Economic Analyst
- Russia deploys missiles in Syria after Turkey shoots down bomber
- Kremlin tells West not to rush to judge it on Navalny as sanctions talk starts
- Top Democrats press Trump to sanction Russian individuals over 2020 election interference efforts
Merkel and Putin offer signs of thawing tensions at Russian talks on Syria, Iran and Ukraine have 527 words, post on www.independent.co.uk at May 18, 2018. This is cached page on The Best Articles. If you want remove this page, please contact us.