Kremlin on Putin and Merkel's Relationship

The former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, was warmly welcomed in Russia, but she may not have been as open to dialogue as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin.

Merkel's memoir, titled "Freedom," went on sale on Tuesday. It was simultaneously released in 31 countries around the world, including Russia and China. In her memoirs, Merkel specifically noted that the incident involving Putin's Labrador, Koni, during negotiations was seen as a display of power, as the Chancellor was afraid of dogs.

"When in Europe, people are free to travel with dogs on public transport, dogs are allowed to sit on buses, and are taken to restaurants, suddenly if this is Putin's dog, then this is a show of power. Such statements can only be confusing, because Putin really welcomed her warmly and showed maximum hospitality, but perhaps Merkel was not so open to dialogue," Peskov said.