Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the rumor that he used his pet labrador to frighten German Chancellor Angela Merkel at one of their very first meetings, The Telegraph reported.
The incident took place at a meeting at Putin’s Sochi residence in 2007.
Putin, who had been briefed on Merkel’s fear of dogs, brought his black labrador Connie to the meeting.
Although Merkel never commented publicly on the incident, the rumor grew that the move had been a deliberate ploy to intimidate the chancellor during negotiations.
But Putin told German journalists he intended no such thing.
“I did not know anything about that,” he said when asked whether he was deliberately trying to frighten or embarrass the chancellor. “I showed her my dog because I thought she would like it. I told her so later and apologized,” he said in an interview with Bild.
Putin added that he respects Merkel and considers her a “sincere” person.
