According to the German chancellor, it was a very thorough and difficult discussion
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, following the first day of the summit of the EU member states, that the EU leaders had failed to reach an agreement on holding a joint summit with Russia, TASS reported.
“It was a very thorough and difficult discussion. Once again we have decided on what conditions we are ready to work and work more closely with Russia. There was no agreement today on an urgent meeting”, – Reuters quoted Merkel as saying.
On Thursday, the EU foreign policy service confirmed to TASS that the possibility of a meeting between European Union heads of state and Putin at the initiative of Germany and France would be discussed at the summit, but declined to comment on the initiative until the meeting was over. The press office of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel said that “the results of the strategic discussion on Russia at the EU summit should result in further recommendations on the implementation of the EU policy on Russia.” Borrell himself later said on arrival at the summit that the possibility of an EU-Russia summit would be considered.