Did Putin’s Dog Signal a Power Play? Russian President Says No
The meeting of 2007 between former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian Presidnt Putin is something which keeps making headlines. Recently Putin opened up about the incident and revealed some unseen facts! What was the incident? The incident where Putin’s black Labrador Koni entered the room. Merkel was afraid of dogs !some saw the incident as a show of power.
In her memoir Freedom, Merkel shared that she had specifically requested Koni not be present at meetings with Putin due to her phobia. While her request was honored in 2006, in their 2007 encounter in Sochi, the dog approached Merkel as cameras rolled, making her visibly uncomfortable.
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Putin said he didn’t know about Merkel’s fear of dogs at the time and insisted there was no intention to upset her. Russian President said, “I didn’t know she was afraid of dogs. If I had known, I wouldn’t have done it. I wanted to create a pleasant atmosphere”. He also rsaid that he had apologized to Merkel afterward and expressed regret for causing her discomfort.
In her memoir, Merkel saw the incident as a possible show of power. Despite her discomfort, she stayed calm, focused on the photographers, and waited for the moment to pass. This event is a key example of the complicated relationship between the two leaders.
