The Financial Times earlier reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had proposed inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to a meeting with EU leaders
The leaders of the 27 European Union member states will discuss at Thursday’s summit a proposal by Germany and France to hold an EU-Russia summit. Head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell said this on arrival at the meeting.
“There is a proposal from Germany and France to hold a summit with Russia, which we will also discuss at the summit”, – he said.
Borrell’s office had already told TASS earlier on Thursday that the possibility of a meeting between European Union (EU) heads of state and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the initiative of Germany and France would be discussed at the summit, but declined to comment until the meeting was over. Borrell’s press office said that “the outcome of the strategic discussion on Russia at the EU summit should result in further recommendations on the implementation of EU policy towards Russia”.
On the eve of the summit, the British newspaper Financial Times, citing diplomatic sources, reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to a meeting with EU leaders. According to the newspaper, the initiative was supported by French President Emmanuel Macron.