Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met today in Moscow. Afterward, at a press conference, both sought to emphasize that despite differences, bilateral cooperation is flourishing.
They devoted most of their attention to Afghanistan, with Putin emphasizing that this was a lesson for the West that it should not try to impose its democratic values on others. Later, in the same vein, he said that what is happening in Belarus is an internal affair and that there should be no external interference.
Putin does not apply this to Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine. He repeated the old accusations against Kyiv and claimed that it is not interested in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine which he himself created and continues to sustain.
Putin asked Merkel to pressure Kyiv when she meets with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 22 to retreat from its firm stance, that is, to accept Russia’s terms. Merkel was vague on this issue and evasive.
She did however acknowledge that the Normandy Four format had not achieved its goals but agreed with Putin that there is no other framework for continuing the peace negotiations. She offered no ideas about how to move things forward.
Merkel was surprisingly direct on the question of Crimea and publicly challenged Putin as to its status. She declared that she remains committed to restoring and preserving Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Merkel was also tough on the Alexei Navalny case. But Putin again dismissed the imprisoned Russian oppositionist – persists in refusing to mention him by name – whom he had tried to poison.
She also expressed concern about the treatment of nongovernmental organizations in Russia, particularly foreign-financed ones promoting democracy. Putin shrugged this off and gave very selective examples of political protests being dealt with firmly in the West.
Last, but not least, both were inevitably pleased the controversial Nord Stream 2 project is almost completed and argued that it is not only good for Germany and Russia but for Europe as a whole.
Under Merkel’s prompting, Putin affirmed that Russia would honor its obligations regarding transiting gas through Ukraine after Nord Stream 2 is operational. That was perhaps the only positive takeaway that Merkel can bring to Kyiv which remains skeptical about both Berlin’s, and especially, Moscow’s motives and intentions.
Thanking the outgoing German chancellor for having maintained good ties with Moscow despite their difference during the last 16 years, he assured her twice that she would always be welcome in Russia.
