Gorbachev Believes Russia, Germany Will Preserve Dialogue by Joint Efforts

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — It is important that the Russian and German leaders speak about the necessity to maintain and preserve a mutual dialogue, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev told Sputnik Tuesday, while expressing hope that the two countries would manage to achieve this goal by way of joint efforts.

"It is important that the leaders talk about that. I think [the two states] will manage to maintain and continue dialogue. I think that the two peoples have created something unprecedented and we should keep it. The two nations, which were pulled into the flames of war by fascism, have nevertheless overcome all troubles and said that [they should] live in cooperation and even friendship," Gorbachev said.

Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid an official visit to Russia and held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following the meeting, Merkel stressed that the two countries need to continue a dialogue despite their current disagreements over different international issues.

Merkel, in particular, expressed hope that the anti-Russia sanctions would be lifted, but only under the condition that the the Minsk agreements on the Ukrainian reconciliation are fully implemented. Putin, for his part, said that Germany remained Russia's leading economic partner despite current political difficulties.