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"The chancellor will - as is usual in such cases - congratulate him. She will write a telegram very soon," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a news conference.
He said he thought the telegram would mention the challenges in German-Russian relations.
"We have differences of opinion with Russia and we very clearly criticise Russia's policies on some issues - Ukraine, Syria," he said, but added that it was important to keep up contact with the Russian government and the president.