MOSCOW

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to offer her condolences on the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's World War II invasion of Russia, the Kremlin said.

Merkel expressed feelings of empathy in connection with "the incalculable misery and suffering brought by the war unleashed by the Nazi regime," the Kremlin said in a statement.

"Both sides stressed the importance of preserving the historical memory of the tragic events of those years. It was stated that overcoming mutual hostility and reconciliation of the Russian and German peoples carried key importance for the fate of postwar Europe. It stressed that even now the security of the common continent is possible only through joint efforts," it said.

Putin also spoke to Merkel about his meeting last week with US President Joe Biden in Geneva.