Following the meeting the two leaders will hold a press-conference, after which Merkel will return to Germany.
Along with several other Western leaders Merkel chose not attend the Victory Day military parade held in Moscow's Red Square. Heads of nearly 30 foreign states and governments, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, participated in the celebrations.
The German chancellor attended the Victory Day parade in 2005 and 2010.
Merkel chose to arrive in the Russian capital a day later, on Sunday. On that day, the German chancellor will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a war memorial located at the Kremlin Wall.
"We cannot close the book on our history," Merkel said a video message, published on May 2. "It is important for me to lay a wreath on May 10 together with the Russian president in remembrance of the millions who died during the Second World War and for whom Germany is responsible," she added.
