▁ch an cell or , ▁Ang ela ▁Mer kel ▁is ▁often ▁attributed ▁to ▁Mer kel ' s ▁up br ing ing ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁DDR , ▁where ▁Put in ▁was ▁station ed ▁as ▁a ▁K GB ▁agent . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁very ▁friendly ▁and ▁warm ▁relationship ▁with ▁the ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Italy ▁Sil v io ▁Ber lus con i ; ▁the ▁two ▁leaders ▁often ▁described ▁their ▁relationship ▁as ▁a ▁close ▁friendship , ▁continu ing ▁to ▁organ ize ▁bil ater al ▁meet ings ▁even ▁after ▁Ber lus con i ' s ▁res ignation ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Russian - American ▁relations ▁d eter ior ated ▁further ▁when ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁can ce led ▁a ▁sum mit ▁( for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 0 ) ▁after ▁Put in ▁gave ▁as yl um ▁to ▁Edward ▁Snow den , ▁who ▁had ▁le aked ▁class ified ▁information ▁from ▁the ▁NS A . ▁ ▁Rel ations ▁were ▁further ▁stra ined ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 – 1 5 ▁Russian ▁military ▁inter vention ▁in ▁Ukraine ▁and ▁the ▁Anne x ation ▁of ▁Crime a . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Russia ▁was ▁susp ended ▁from ▁the ▁G 8 ▁group ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁its ▁an nex ation ▁of ▁Crime a . ▁However , ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Put in ▁told ▁an ▁Italian ▁newspaper ▁that ▁Russia ▁has ▁no ▁intention ▁of ▁attack ing ▁NAT O .