BERLIN, November 9. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would not shy away from the possibility of holding a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of next month’s G20 summit in Miami if the Russian leader attends the event.

"In politics, you have to talk with people who hold a completely different opinion than you," the German head of government told Westfalenpost in an interview. When asked if his talks with the Russian president could take place in December, Merz said that scenario was not ruled out. "If he [Putin] is there, I will not shy away from the possibility of holding a conversation," he stated.

Merz, who took office as German chancellor in May 2025, has previously stated on several occasions that there is a need to rethink the European security architecture. Meanwhile, there have been no one-on-one meetings or phone calls between him and the Russian leaders yet.

Earlier, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin is open to dialogue with everyone, including Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron. The Russian presidential spokesman advised against going too far ahead regarding a potential trip by Putin to the G20 summit in Miami though.

The United States holds the rotating presidency of the G20 this year. Events hosted by the US as the G20 chair will culminate in the summit to be held in Miami, Florida, on December 14-15.