AFP, Moscow :
Russian President Vladimir Putin looks set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel amid tensions over Ukraine when both leaders attend the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro, the Kremlin said Thursday.
Presidential advisor Yury Ushakov said the meeting had not been finalised but Putin was due to have a series of bilateral encounters with world leaders at the match on Sunday and that a tete-a-tete with Merkel appeared to be on the cards.
“The list is not yet finalised but I presume… Germany will be at the final and several other countries,” Ushakov said in remarks released Thursday.
Putin will be in Brazil as part of a larger Latin American tour and will take part in an official handover ceremony with Russia due to host the next World Cup in 2018.
