It was rumored that Vladimir Putin might have chosen a particularly beautiful room for the press conference to give the Chancellor a farewell present. But then the whole gilded stucco couldn’t hide the fact that there were two standing next to each other who will hardly miss each other. With all the differences of opinion, Merkel said at the beginning, she was “glad that we are talking to each other”. But that was the only point on the credit side.
The list of problems that the two heads of state then rattled off appeared longer than ever before: Alexej Navalny in prison, the Taliban in Afghanistan, the dictator in Belarus, the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Syria, Libya, and the work ban on three German non-governmental organizations in Russia – New ones are always added to old unresolved conflicts. Perhaps – so it whispered through the magnificent hall after the conference, that Corona simply needed more space. Putin did not give Merkel any presents at this meeting either.
The Chancellor started with an irritating topic: “I once again asked the President to release Alexei Navalny,” she said. Merkel’s farewell visit fell on the day on which the opposition was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok a year ago. Even then she spoke of “attempted poisoning” and blamed the Kremlin for it. Since then, it has become even more icy between her and Putin.
Navalny is now in the penal camp – following a procedure that Merkel and the European Court of Human Rights consider politically motivated. When asked under what circumstances Navalny could be released, Putin only replied that “this person” was behind bars for his crimes alone. Please respect the Russian court rulings.
Merkel receives one rebuff after the other
Navalny and his team are now demanding additional sanctions from Brussels against Russian oligarchs who support Putin’s system. While Merkel stressed that she “very much” believes that “corruption and political systems are linked,” Putin did not want to see any connection. In general: “The fight against corruption” should only be carried out by people “who themselves impeccably observe all laws”. A swipe at Navalny, a rebuff for Merkel.
When it came to her second major concern, the Chancellor should actually have expected more concession. It was about the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2, about which Berlin had last argued with Washington, not with Moscow. Now Merkel came to Moscow with a specific task: She should ensure that the Kremlin continues to pump gas through its pipeline in Ukraine despite the new Baltic Sea pipeline – beyond 2024. In return, the operating company of Nord Stream 2 no longer has to fear sanctions from Washington.
The “Chancellor,” said Putin, has always advocated that Moscow continue to use the Ukrainian line after the contract expires in 2024. Ultimately, Putin indicated, that depends on gas orders from Europe. Here, too, he gave Merkel nothing. She had previously stated that she would campaign for the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine “until my last day in office”. The peace process, in which she wanted to work with Putin and the French and Ukrainian presidents to find a solution in eastern Ukraine, has been stagnating for years.
The most topical and arguably most pressing topic on the crisis list is Afghanistan. The country reverted to the Taliban before all American troops could withdraw. Since then, despite all the concern about new terrorist threats, you can also feel glee in Moscow. He believes, Putin said, that many Western politicians are “beginning to understand” that they “must not impose their democratic values on other peoples”. Moscow maintains contact with the Taliban, the Russian embassy in Kabul remained open. Merkel even asked the Kremlin chief to speak to the Taliban to ensure that the helpers of Western troops and organizations are allowed to leave the country. Putin said nothing about that.
Merkel’s closing words summed up the situation well. In her 16 years as Federal Chancellor, the political systems of Germany and Russia have diverged even further. Nevertheless, she will always advocate “that not speaking is not an option”. It could hardly be more convoluted.