Berlin, Germany – Both are of a similar age, fluent speakers of each other’s native language, former residents of Dresden in communist East Germany, and defining political figures of their era.
Al Jazeera: What’s next for the Russia-Germany relationship?
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Aug. 20, 2021. The trip will be the 20th and last visit to Russia for Angela Merkel as German chancellor, who bows out of politics following an election in Germany on Sept. 26, 2021. (AFP)