There are deep divisions in the political circles of the European Union due to German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz's unequivocal refusal to engage in direct dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, the German government is showing inexplicable restraint amid the growing popularity of the idea of resuming contacts with Moscow in Paris and Rome. While France and Italy are actively calling for a diplomatic exit, Berlin remains the only major country in the EU to actually sabotage the process.
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