Merkel says not to discuss US sanctions with Putin on Friday

BERLIN, May 17 (PRIME) -- Germany will only discuss the U.S. sanctions with Russia, if the Minsk agreements are fulfilled, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday ahead of her next day meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that the president did not plan to raise the issue of sanctions at the meeting with Merkel and an upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, because it is not Russia that imposed them.

Putin and Merkel are expected to discuss the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Syria, as well as cooperation between Russia and Ukraine in the gas sphere, the German government said earlier.

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