On a Sunday in early March, a day after Vladimir Putin won parliamentary backing for an invasion of Ukraine, Angela Merkel called him to demand an explanation. The German leader was shaken by what she heard, sources within her party say.
For weeks, in a series of phone calls, the Russian president,
```
Members Only
Login or create an account to continue
This article is available to registered BusinessDay readers. Please login if you already have an account, or create a new account to continue reading.
New to BusinessDay? Register now and start reading.
```
BusinessDay
Nigeria's leading finance and market intelligence news report. Also home to expert opinion and commentary on politics, sports, lifestyle, and more
