MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. The Kremlin positively assesses initiatives that would help foster dialogue between Brussels and Moscow, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the European Union needs to look for a direct dialogue with Russia. At the same time, a number of media outlets reported on Thursday the EU may discuss the format of a possible summit between the leaders of the union and the Russian president.

"We assess the initiative positively. Russian President [Vladimir] Putin supports creating a mechanism for dialogue and contacts between Brussels and Moscow," Peskov said.

This dialogue, according to the Kremlin spokesman, "is really needed by both Brussels and Moscow." "Of course, we are watching the summit, which is opening today in Brussels, very closely, as well as and the assessments of this potential dialogue that will be voiced there," he summed up.

A two-day summit of the leaders of the 27 EU member states kicks off in Brussels on Thursday. Heads of state and government are expected to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and recovery from it. Another central topic of the summit will be a strategic discussion of the relations with Russia based on the report on Moscow presented by the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell on June 16, President of the European Council Charles Michel said in a letter to the leaders of the EU countries.