When they speak on the telephone Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel switch between German and Russian. They are both so fluent they can correct the interpreters that are usually on the line for official discussions. Having learnt her Russian growing up in communist east Germany, Ms Merkel, the German chancellor, knows something of Mr Putin's Soviet past. Having perfected his German as a KGB officer in Dresden, the Russian president understands Ms Merkel's DDR origins.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
Financial Times: German diplomacy – dominant by default
Russia's President Vladimir Putin with German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel during official visit to Brazil.
