Chancellor Merz faces threats from Russia and shifts his stance on relations

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has changed his position on how Germany should deal with Russia. He now says there is no need for him to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he is urging the European Union to rebalance its relationship with Russia as the bloc rethinks its strategy of isolating the country.

This shift comes as Russia has issued threats against Merz. Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and current security official, made statements about kidnapping Merz, which the German government has condemned.