German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday insisted that the EU should be able to talk to Russian leader Vladimir Putin after leaders from the bloc thwarted her push for a summit. "The president of the US met for a serious talk with Vladimir Putin, which I did not have the impression was a reward for the Russian president. A sovereign EU, in my opinion, should also be able to represent the interests of the EU in such a similar conversation," she told a press conference after EU talks in Brussels. aro/del/arp/dl