German Chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated Mikhail Mishustin on assuming office as Russia’s new prime minister, the German cabinet said in a statement.

Axar.az reports citing Russian media.

"Personal, civic, cultural, economic and political ties between our countries, which are rooted in history, are the basis of bilateral relations," the German chancellor said in a message to Mishustin. "The German government is interested in boosting relations on this basis and looks forward to cooperating with your government in order to achieve this goal," the message added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree appointing Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s prime minister on January 16 after the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) had endorsed Mishustin’s nomination. The new prime minister said later that he would name his cabinet in the coming days.