OREANDA-NEWS. The Kremlin positively evaluates the initiative to hold a summit between Russia and the EU; both Moscow and Brussels need this dialogue, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian President.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested inviting Vladimir Putin to a meeting with the heads of the EU member states. The initiative was supported by French President Emmanuel Macron. The EU summit will take place on June 24-25.

According to the Financial Times, representatives of Germany and France voiced the proposal on Wednesday at a meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU in Brussels.

Some EU countries were unhappy with the proposal, since it was made just before the summit.

In addition to inviting the Russian president to the summit, Merkel and Macron insist on softening the wording regarding Russia in the final statement. The point is that the EU will show its readiness to "selectively interact" with the Russian Federation on topics of mutual interest.

These, according to the source of the publication, may include the fight against climate change, environmental protection, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, space exploration, health care, as well as on the problem of Iran and Syria.

The initiative of Merkel and Macron to change the EU strategy towards Russia was influenced by the results of the summit of the leaders of the USA and Russia in Geneva on June 16, the newspaper writes.