Merkel meets Putin for talks expected to focus on Ukraine, pipeline

Sochi  – German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday for talks expected to focus on the conflict in Ukraine, as Russia expands a natural gas pipeline directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine.

Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev greeted Merkel at a presidential summer residence in the southern Russian city of Sochi, with Putin presenting her a bouquet of white flowers.

«Good day,» Merkel said in German, in a televised broadcast of the reception. It was her first visit to Russia in a year.

Merkel has led the charge for EU sanctions against Russia since that country annexed neighbouring Ukraine’s Crimea region four years ago, in retaliation for Ukraine ousting its pro-Russian president.

But in recent months, Germany gave its final approval for Russia to expand the Nord Stream pipeline, which carries Russian natural gas directly to Germany, despite protests by Ukraine’s leadership that the project undermines the sanctions.

Germany’s minister for economic affairs and energy, Peter Altmaier, visited Ukraine twice this week to assure Berlin’s support for Ukraine as Russia began construction of the pipeline expansion, Nord Stream 2.

Altmaier also visited Russia this week to meet with senior officials.

Putin and Merkel «will discuss Ukraine, Ukraine’s interests,» Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to state news agency TASS.

«Naturally they will raise the issue of the Normandy Four format,» Peskov added, referring to the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia that have been brokered by Germany and France.

Altmaier expressed confidence after a meeting with Medvedev this week that Moscow and Kiev would soon reach a deal on supplying Russian natural gas to Europe.

Kiev fears that it could lose out on transit fees for gas from Russia to Europe. Such transit is a major source of revenue for Ukraine.