German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Moscow, scheduled for January 11, will be a one-day trip, a spokesperson for the German embassy in Russia said.
"The chancellor will arrive in Moscow for a one-day visit," the spokesperson said in response to a question,
According to the embassy spokesperson, Merkel would be accompanied by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. The agenda of the German chancellor’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to cover the developments in Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq and Ukraine, TASS reported.
First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the main point of Merkel’s visit to the Kremlin is showing Russia's participation in international political life.
“The fact that she will visit Moscow is very indicative. First, this suggests that Russia is not isolated, as being presented by many politicians, especially in the West. And it is not the first time when Ms. Merkel arrives in Moscow after the events of 2014," he said.
Director of the Institute of Political Studies Sergei Markov, in turn, also noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to discuss a number of key issues. “I believe that the most important topic is Nord Stream-2,” the political scientist emphasized.
According to him, the head of state will also discuss with Merkel her participation in the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in Moscow, the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the aggravation of relations between the United States and Iran.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the death of the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force, General Qasem Soleimani, is not the reason behind the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Russia.
