"During the visit of the German foreign minister to Moscow and her conversation with [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov, the Russian side proposed ways out of the crisis created by the German authorities in relation to RT DE, but the German side refused to discuss them," the source said.
Earlier on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Russia was shutting down Deutsche Welle's broadcast in the country in response to Germany's measures against RT DE. According to the ministry, the Moscow bureau of DW must be closed by 9 am on Friday, 4 February. All employees of the Russian bureau will lose their accreditation, it added.
"We strongly protest this absurd reaction from the Russian government and will take legal action to challenge the announced measures," DW CEO Peter Limbourg said.
Russia has repeatedly warned that it would take retaliatory measures against German media accredited in Russia in response to unjustified restriction of RT DE broadcast in Germany.
On 1 February, Germany's media regulator banned the broadcasting of RT DE in the country, stating that the broadcast organisers did not have the necessary permission. Moscow insists the ban was imposed despite RT DE having a license. RT said it would appeal the decision in court.