Merkel promises to help push Russia-EU visa-free regime

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday promised to assist with the possible introduction of visa-free regime between Russia and the EU.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday promised to assist with the possible introduction of visa-free regime between Russia and the EU.

"We will be certainly engage in this," she said, adding that current visa requirements "limit contacts in a number of spheres."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Merkel arrived in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on Wednesday for bilateral talks.

Medvedev said he was confident a decision on a visa-free regime would eventually be reached if there was the necessary "good will and desire."

During the Russia-EU summit held on May 1-June 31 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia handed over to the EU a draft agreement on abolishing the visa regime.

YEKATERINBURG, July 15 (RIA Novosti)