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German Chancellor refuses to take Russian PCR test

French President Emmanuel Macron also declined Russian services for a PCR test during his visit to Moscow a few days ago

BERLIN, February 15. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to use the services of Russian medics when he underwent PCR testing for coronavirus infection before his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, The Welt TV channel reported on Tuesday.

Instead, a doctor from the German Embassy in Russia will conduct PCR testing for the German chancellor after Scholz lands in Moscow. According to sources close to the German government, Russian health authorities have been invited to attend the testing. Scholz himself, his entire delegation and the journalists accompanying him (more than 50 people in total) were required to submit to a total of three negative PCR tests before flying out of Germany.

French President Emmanuel Macron also declined Russian services for a PCR test during his visit to Moscow a few days ago. As a result, strict observance of social distancing was imposed during talks in the Kremlin. At the joint press conference, the leaders’ podiums were also a few meters apart.

Scholz will visit Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two politicians. Scholz's visit to Moscow will be the culmination of Berlin's intensive diplomatic campaign aimed at resolving the crisis around Ukraine peacefully. Before his trip to Moscow, the German chancellor visited Kiev.

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