Germany's FDP urges new approach to Russia's annexation of Crimea

Christian Lindner, chairman of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), attends a news conference in Berlin, Germany June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany may have to accept Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine as a "permanent provisional arrangement," the head of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) told a newspaper chain in comments published on Saturday.

FDP chief Christian Lindner underscored the importance of good ties with Moscow for Germany and the European Union, and said it might be necessary to "encapsulate" the Crimea issue in order to offer Russian President Vladimir Putin face-saving options to change his policies.