Moscow counts on the most constructive and useful negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, where they will be able to exchange views on "pressing issues", Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
"We hope that today's talks will be as constructive, businesslike and useful as possible. The talks are taking place so that the president and the chancellor can explain to each other their approaches on these burning issues," he said, responding to a question about how Scholz's statement of all-out support for Ukraine would affect the tone of top-level talks.
Peskov added that the talks will be lengthy, with many topics to discuss. "It is quite possible to assume that the talks [Putin and Scholz] will be long, there are a lot of topics for discussion, [this and] unprecedented tensions in Europe, [and] the topic of security guarantees for Russia," the Kremlin spokesman said, adding that many topics also concern bilateral relations between the states. "This is a very and very solid baggage of trade and economic relations, major projects," he said.
Responding to a clarifying question from reporters, Peskov confirmed that sanitary security measures will be observed at the talks. "There will be the same [as at some previous meetings of the Russian president with foreign politicians] regime with precautionary measures, they (Putin and Scholz - TASS) will be at a greater distance than usual," the spokesman said. He stressed that "this will in no way affect either the nature of the meeting, or its content, or its duration."
Scholz arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Putin. This will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two politicians. Before going to Moscow, the German chancellor visited Kiev.
Earlier it was reported that the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany refused the services of the Russian side in passing a PCR test for coronavirus. Peskov, commenting on this, pointed out that all sides have their own protocols and preferences. "We respect and understand the protocols that our FRG partners have," he concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS