The Kremlin announced the absence of contacts with Putin from Merz and Macron.

Neither German Chancellor Friedrich Merz nor French leader Emmanuel Macron are trying to establish contact and call Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was announced on February 12 by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"Neither Merz nor Macron are making any attempts [to call Putin]. There's not much need to try here. If you want and if necessary, you can just pick up and call President Putin, he has never refused direct contacts," he said during a briefing.

Peskov recalled Putin's words about the preference for direct contacts with Europe due to strong disagreements. Such problems can be solved only through dialogue, said the press secretary of the President of Russia.

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