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Merkel Says She Criticises Putin to His Face, Not Behind His Back After Biden's ‘Killer’ Jab

© Sputnik / Mikhail KlimentyevVladimir Putin and Angela Merkel during Istanbul summit
Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel during Istanbul summit - Sputnik International, 1920, 20.04.2021
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Joe Biden sparked a diplomatic scandal with Moscow last month after agreeing with a journalist’s characterisation of Vladimir Putin as a “killer” who would be made to “pay a price” for Russia’s alleged meddling in American elections. Putin brushed off the remarks, wishing Biden “good health” and suggesting he was projecting US sins onto Russia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has indicated that she is not afraid of criticising her Russian counterpart to his face.

“As far as Mr. Putin is concerned, I will tell you in my own words: if we’re talking about criticism, I don’t hide it. I tell him directly about it, including in our personal conversations. This is my way of dealing with the fact that we do not agree with everything that goes on in Russia in the area of human rights,” Merkel said, speaking at a meeting of the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Tuesday, and answering a colleague’s question about whether she considers Putin to be a “killer”.

“I have already mentioned the topic of [Alexei] Navalny, but can name any other topics,” the chancellor noted, adding that there are “all kinds of other human rights issues when it comes to Russia”.

At the same time, Merkel emphasised the importance of continued dialogue with Russia, and defended Nord Stream 2.

A picture shows a land connection point of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, Germany - Sputnik International, 1920, 20.04.2021
Merkel Defends Nord Stream 2, Says EU-Level Disagreements on Pipeline Result of ‘Political Struggle’
Putin and Merkel have known one another for nearly two decades, first meeting in 2002, several years before the German politician became chancellor in 2005. In the years since, the Russian president, who worked in the former East Germany for years and speaks fluent German, and Merkel, who was raised in East Germany and is known to speak Russian, have established a pragmatic, businesslike relationship.

Late last year, commenting on Merkel’s plans to retire after the upcoming September federal elections, Putin said he and the chancellor have “maintain quite good personal relations”, and that “relations between our countries remain at a rather high level”. When asked whether he would miss her, Putin indicated that “she is not going anywhere yet”.

Merkel has stated repeatedly in the past that when it comes to Russia, she believes “that controversial topics can be solved through dialogue”.

© AP Photo / Jens MeyerGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during arrivals for a conference on Libya at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts the one-day conference of world powers on Sunday seeking to curb foreign military interference, solidify a cease-fire and help relaunch a political process to stop the chaos in the North African nation. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during arrivals for a conference on Libya at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020 - Sputnik International
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during arrivals for a conference on Libya at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts the one-day conference of world powers on Sunday seeking to curb foreign military interference, solidify a cease-fire and help relaunch a political process to stop the chaos in the North African nation. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
© Sputnik / Aleksey Nikolsky / Go to the mediabankRussian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak during a meeting on the sidelines of an international peace conference on Libya in Berlin, Germany.
Germany Libya Peace Conference - Sputnik International
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak during a meeting on the sidelines of an international peace conference on Libya in Berlin, Germany.
© AP Photo / Thibault CamusFrench President Emmanuel Macron, second left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrive for a working session at the Elysee Palace Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 in Paris. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's president are meeting for the first time at a summit in Paris to find a way to end the five years of fighting in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)
  French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrive for a working session at the Elysee Palace Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 in Paris. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's president are meeting for the first time at a summit in Paris to find a way to end the five years of fighting in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool) - Sputnik International
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French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrive for a working session at the Elysee Palace Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 in Paris. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's president are meeting for the first time at a summit in Paris to find a way to end the five years of fighting in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)
© Sputnik / Mikhail Klementyev / Go to the mediabankRussian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. December 1, 2018
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. December 1, 2018 - Sputnik International
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. December 1, 2018
© AP Photo / Ludovic MarinRussian President Vladimir Putin talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump as they attend a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, as part of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018.
Russian President Vladimir Putin talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump as they attend a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, as part of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. - Sputnik International
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Russian President Vladimir Putin talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump as they attend a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, as part of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018.
© Sputnik / Aleksey Druzhinin / Go to the mediabankRussian President Vladimir Putin and Ferman Chancellor Angela Merkel during a meeting at the government residence in Munzenberg, Germany.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ferman Chancellor Angela Merkel during a meeting at the government residence in Munzenberg, Germany.
© Sputnik / Sergey Guneev Putin gives Chancellor Merkel flowers, May 21, 2018
Putin gives Chancellor Merkel flowers, May 21, 2018 - Sputnik International
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Putin gives Chancellor Merkel flowers, May 21, 2018
© REUTERS / Alexander Zemlianichenko/PoolGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia, May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool
German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia, May 2, 2017 - Sputnik International
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia, May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during arrivals for a conference on Libya at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts the one-day conference of world powers on Sunday seeking to curb foreign military interference, solidify a cease-fire and help relaunch a political process to stop the chaos in the North African nation. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak during a meeting on the sidelines of an international peace conference on Libya in Berlin, Germany.
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French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrive for a working session at the Elysee Palace Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 in Paris. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's president are meeting for the first time at a summit in Paris to find a way to end the five years of fighting in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. December 1, 2018
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Russian President Vladimir Putin talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump as they attend a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, as part of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ferman Chancellor Angela Merkel during a meeting at the government residence in Munzenberg, Germany.
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Putin gives Chancellor Merkel flowers, May 21, 2018
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia, May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool

Merkel’s comments Tuesday come in the wake of last month’s diplomatic flap between Moscow and Washington over President Biden’s agreement with a journalist’s characterisation of Putin as a “killer” who will be made to “pay a price” for Russia’s alleged malevolent meddling in America’s elections. The remarks prompted Russia to recall its ambassador to Washington, but Putin himself brushed off the comments, wishing Biden well. The Biden administration followed up the “killer” remarks with a new package of sanctions last week.

 

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