St Petersburg, 19 June 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that he's willing to speak with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz if Merz contacts him, but he warned the German leader against sending Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

If Merz were to call and wanted to speak, Putin said he'd take the call. "We are always open to this," he told dpa.

At the same time, Putin warned Merz of "very serious damage" to Germany's relations with Russia if Berlin sends Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Since the Taurus system relies on Bundeswehr officers and satellite data, its use would mean Germany's direct involvement in the war in Ukraine, Putin said during a meeting with representatives of major news agencies on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

But while the Russian leader lobbied against Germany providing the missiles to Ukraine, he downplayed their significance.

Sending the missiles wouldn't help, Putin maintained, as the Russian army has the upper hand along the entire front line and a Taurus-supplied Ukraine would not change Russian troop advancement, Putin said.

"The Russian troops have strategic advantages in all directions. Our armed forces are attacking along the entire front," Putin said. His claims could not be independently verified.

Germany not a neutral partner

Putin said he does not view Germany as neutral when it comes to Russia's war against Ukraine - which in Russia is referred to as a "special operation."

Germany, he said, is on Ukraine's side, as it supplies tanks to Ukraine and is thus participating in the hostilities. It can therefore not be considered a mediator.

Since taking office in May, Merz has had no contact with Putin but has repeatedly called on the Kremlin leader, both in speeches and during a visit to Kiev, to agree to a ceasefire in the war Russia started against Ukraine more than three years ago - so far without success.

German-Russian relations are at an all-time low. Merz, in particular, has faced criticism in Moscow for taking a confrontational stance towards Russia.

Putin challenges Zelensky's legitimacy

While expressing a willingness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin again questioned Zelensky's legitimacy as leader of Ukraine.

"I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky," Putin said in St Petersburg during a meeting with representatives of major news agencies, including dpa.

Putin wondered who would ultimately sign a peace agreement and questioned, as ha has done in the past, Zelensky' legitimacy. Putin maintains Zelensky's five-year term ended last year.

The Ukrainian leadership, however, emphasizes that elections cannot be held due to martial law - stemming from Putin's attack on Ukraine - and that Zelensky retains full powers.

Many international observers consider Russia's elections neither free nor fair.

Repeats same maximalist demands

In his talk with foreign news agency reporters, the Russian leader repeated his maximalist demands on Ukraine - for Kiev to give up territory that Moscow has annexed - something Ukraine has consistently rejected.

Putin said once again that Russia would achieve its war aims through military force if no solution could be reached through negotiations.

Putin personally ordered the full-scale war against Ukraine, which is now in its fourth year.

Next round of talks after June 22

Putin announced that talks mediated by the Turkish government, which have taken place twice this year in Istanbul, would resume after June 22. He said the meetings had yielded results on humanitarian issues, including the exchange of prisoners and the remains of soldiers.

He however reacted angrily to a question about how his government could condemn Israeli airstrikes on Iranian cities while Russia's military kills many people in airstrikes on Ukraine.

"If your journalists had seen how our missiles allegedly destroy entire residential areas, they would hardly have lived to tell the tale. They wouldn't have survived," he claimed. Russia, Putin said, only targets military facilities and arms factories.

This contrasts with the devastating damage to civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and the high number of civilian deaths in nearly three and a half years of war. Just on Tuesday night, at least 28 civilians were killed in a Russian airstrike on Kiev, including 23 residents of a single apartment building.

Russia unafraid of arms race

Russia is not afraid of an arms race with NATO, Putin said. Moscow is improving its armed forces. "Whatever NATO does, it naturally creates certain threats, but we will cut back the threats that arise," he said.

The planned increase in defence spending to 5% of GDP in NATO countries is pointless, Putin argued, as Russia will ensure its own security. He called it a lie that Russia is preparing to attack NATO countries.

Intelligence agencies and policymakers have repeatedly warned that the Kremlin's expansion plans extend beyond Ukraine and that Russia could be capable of attacking NATO territory by 2029.

Photo: MIA archive