SOCHI, January 21 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin said Sunday he hopes that Germany during its presidency in the European Union will help Russia build relations with other EU members and the organization as a whole.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Russian president are holding their first meeting this year in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"As for your presidency in the EU, we expect that good and trustworthy relations with Germany will help build relations with other [EU] countries and the organization as a whole, Putin said.

The meeting is Putin's sixth with the German leader since she took office in November 2005, and comes during Germany's presidency of both the EU and the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations.

Putin also said he is satisfied with the development of Russian-German relations.

"We are satisfied with the level and the nature of these relations. This refers to political contacts and the growth of bilateral trade, and contacts in the humanitarian sphere continue to expand," Putin said.