Saturday’s talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which lasted three hours, were serious and detailed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters after the meeting, TASS reported.

"The conversation was a lengthy one," he said, adding that it was also "very serious and detailed."

The issue of possible sanctions against the companies taking part in the Nord Stream-2 pipeline project has been raised during the talks, the Kremlin spokesman has said.

"The purely commercial nature of this project and its competitive advantages were underlined," he said. "Both Putin and Merkel agreed that it would be absolutely wrong to somehow politicize this project."

According to the Kremlin spokesman, Putin and Merkel also discussed "perspectives of continuing the gas transit via the territory of Ukraine."

The Kremlin spokesman also said Putin and Merkel exchanged opinions on international trade issues in general.

Both sides have "expressed their mutual concern by the unpredictability of decisions made by certain states, especially on the issue of tariffs," Peskov said. "There are concerns that such decisions may eventually have a negative impact on the system of international trade and economic relations in general."

"A general exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine has taken place," Peskov said. "We expressed regret in connection with the total stalemate of the process to implement the Minsk agreements."

"Concerns were also expressed regarding the unclear perspectives of extending the law on the special status of Donbass, an important element of the Minsk agreements which is now expiring," Peskov went on.

During the meeting, the Russian leader told the German chancellor that he was set to continue his dialogue with German companies.

"The president and the chancellor have had a detailed discussion on bilateral relations, and noted with satisfaction that the bilateral trade was growing," the Kremlin spokesman said.

"Putin noted that he regularly communicated with representatives of large German companies and was set to continue this practice," he went on.

During the meeting, the sides "noted certain projects of German companies with regard to increasing their presence on Russian markets."

"Putin confirmed our interest in cooperation of this kind," Peskov said.

According to the official, not only business cooperation was discussed. The sides also discussed civil society dialogue and the importance of scientific exchanges, including in high-tech areas.