MOSCOW. March 18 (Interfax) - It is the Russian people rather than the German chancellor who should decide "whom Russia should be with," Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
"After all, perhaps it's for the Russian people, not for the German chancellor, to decide whom Russia should be with," Peskov told journalists on Friday, commenting on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's remark that Russia should not be equated with President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian and German leaders had "quite a difficult, but absolutely businesslike conversation" over the telephone on Friday.
"The conversation can hardly be described as a friendly one. It was certainly a tough conversation. Nevertheless, there is a need for such contacts, an exchange of information, and a discussion of urgent subjects related to the special operation," Peskov said.