Sholz arrived in Moscow this morning after a visit to Kiev, where he held official talks with President Vladimir Zelensky regarding regional tensions, as well as economic and energy cooperation.

The German president expressed his support for the Ukrainian authorities in the face of repeated accusations leveled at Russia of an alleged invasion of Ukraine, however he was clear in his disagreement with Kiev’s attacks on the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline laid between Russia and Germany.

The German Federal Chancellor told the press that the analysis of the possible accession of Ukraine to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “is not on the agenda” at the moment.

Regarding Tuesday’s talks between the heads of State of Russia and Germany, the Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, stated in recent days that “substantial bilateral negotiations” and a press conference are planned.

This is first personal meeting between Putin and Scholz, after the latter took office at the end of last year, although they held a telephone conversation last December 21st.

Relations between the two countries are not at their best currently following the recent ban on the Russian television channel RT in Germany and Russia’s closure of the office of Deutsche Welle in response, in addition to the delay in approving the entry in operation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Germany’s position of support of Ukraine’s military strengthening, and the possible adoption of punitive measures against Russia in the event of an alleged invasion of Ukraine.

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