MOSCOW. Dec 3 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has completed a telephone call with Ursula von der Leyen, during which he congratulated her on taking the office of European Commission president and discussed the upcoming Normandy-format meeting in Paris.
"They also discussed matters related to the top-level meeting in the Normandy format due to take place in Paris on December 9. In this context, the parties underscored the importance of consistent implementation of the Minsk Agreements," the Kremlin press service said.
"Both parties pointed out that, despite a current complicated period in relations between Russia and the European Union, finding common ground on key items on the European and international agenda and developing a direct dialogue is in their common long-term interests," it said.