(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin denied on Thursday that he had deliberately used his black labrador Koni to intimidate German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a meeting in 2007 that became a notorious diplomatic incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied using his dog to intimidate former German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a meeting at his Black Sea residence in Sochi in 2007.

Vladimir Putin claims he apologized to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for bringing his Labrador to a meeting in 2007, unaware of her fear of dogs. "Angela, please forgive me, I did not want to cause you any heartache,

In her memoir, Angela Merkel called Putin's 2007 move to bring his Labrador into a meeting a deliberate "demonstration of power," sparking fresh debate. At a recent press conference, Putin denied the claim,

Vladimir Putin claims he apologized to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for bringing his Labrador to a meeting in 2007, not knowing about her fear of dogs. "Angela, please forgive me, I did not want to cause you any heartache,

Vladimir Putin denied using his dog, Koni, to intimidate Angela Merkel during a 2007 meeting. Merkel, who is afraid of dogs, asked for Koni to be kept away. Putin apologized, claiming he was unaware of her phobia and sought to create a relaxed atmosphere.