“In my opinion, we as the European Union must also seek direct contact with Russia and the Russian president,” she told parliament.
“It is not enough for the American president to talk to the Russian president,” she said, stressing that the European Union too “must also create different formats for talks.”
Putin and US President Joe Biden held face-to-face talks last week, in a meeting that both said could lead to a more predictable, albeit still tense, relationship, AFP reported.
Merkel said recent events had shown that it was not enough “if we react to the multitude of Russian provocations in an uncoordinated manner.”
Rather, the 27-member bloc should put up “a united front against the provocations.”