Germany, during its presidency of the Council of the European Union, will seek closer cooperation with Russia, said German Ambassador to Moscow Geza Andreas von Geir. According to him, such “large-scale issues of the future”, such as climate and environmental problems, digitalization, as well as the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, can be answered jointly.

“I really hope that we will also find answers to this or that question together with Russia. Indeed, these issues, bypassing any borders, concern us all today - they will not lose their relevance tomorrow. Therefore, we, I am convinced of this, in the long term and will again strive to interact more closely (with Russia. - RT ) - how closely we are connected by our history, ”von Geir concluded.

He also noted that “united Europe” is extremely important for Germany.

“There is a place for diversity and tolerance in this Europe. This is our main feature. We are all proud national states, and we are inextricably linked with each other, ”said Geir.

For the continuation of the "constructive dialogue" with Moscow, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke a few days earlier.

“There are good reasons to continue a constructive dialogue with Russia. In countries such as Syria and Libya, in countries directly adjacent to Europe, Russia's strategic influence is enormous. Therefore, I will continue to strive for cooperation (with her. - RT ), ”said the German Chancellor in an interview with six European media.

“New challenges require ...”

According to Konstantin Voronov, Head of the Department of Regional Problems and Conflicts of the European Political Studies Department of IMEMO RAS, such topics as economic development after the pandemic, digitalization and climate issues identified by the German ambassador to Russia are really promising areas for building up bilateral cooperation.

“For them, Moscow and Berlin have no discrepancies. Here, appropriate technologies can be exchanged, business can also be actively involved in this cooperation. The interaction of the two countries in the framework of these issues will be mutually beneficial for the parties, ”the expert said in a conversation with RT.

  • Berlin, May 9, 2020
  • globallookpress.com
  • © Marc Vorwerk / SULUPRESS.DE

In turn, Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS, noted that although Russian-German cooperation had begun a long time ago, now “new challenges require strengthening these ties.”

“ Berlin and Moscow together can overcome the inhibition of the global and regional economies after the pandemic,” the expert said in an interview with RT.

Analysts also note that Germany and Russia have common positions to resolve the conflict in the Donbass.

“Steinmeier’s formula has been approved, according to which elections must first be held in the LPR and the DPR, and then already seek ways of rapprochement between the authorities of Lugansk and Donetsk with the central Kiev leadership. However, Kiev puts forward its conditions, which are not consistent with the Minsk agreements, and therefore Germany could more actively encourage the Ukrainian authorities to fulfill their part of the obligations, ”Olenchenko said.

The expert also noted that Russian-German cooperation "can be effective in solving Middle Eastern problems."

“Countries are interested in the crisis that is being observed both in Syria and Libya, to be resolved not by military means, but by political means and through negotiations,” the analyst said.

Recall that all these issues were discussed during a telephone conversation on June 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. This is stated in a statement by the Kremlin press service.

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
  • Reuters
  • © Axel Schmidt

Analysts also point out that the key aspects of bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Berlin are economic projects, in particular the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline.

"Bet on Russia"

According to experts, statements by the German authorities to strengthen contacts with Russia sound against the backdrop of "worsening relations between Germany and the United States."

"Trends in the degradation of German-American relations were observed even under the 44th US President Barack Obama, but under Trump the situation worsened," said Vladimir Olenchenko.

Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, specified in a commentary to RT that under Trump "the courses of Berlin and Washington began to diverge on an even wider range of issues."

“A whole bunch of contradictions has appeared between the United States and Germany: from economic rivalry in a number of industries, to issues such as the presence of American soldiers on German soil, or competition for dominance in the European subcontinent,” the analyst said.

For the United States, a situation where “independent Germany is the leader of Western Europe is unacceptable,” Shapovalov emphasized.

“And, of course, Washington would like Berlin to have a subordinate position. In this situation, Germany is forced to reorient its foreign policy course, relying on Russia as its strategic partner, ”the expert said.

In June of this year, the “tendency to worsen relations” between the USA and the FRG became even more obvious, ”noted Olenchenko.

“The German leadership now more often declares the need to pursue an independent policy without looking at Washington,” the expert said.

Recall that in late June, Angela Merkel said in an interview with six European publications that other countries are not required to take the United States for global leadership for granted.

Merkel also commented on Trump’s statements about plans to withdraw part of the American contingent from Germany under the pretext of cooperation between Berlin and Moscow in the energy sector and insufficient NATO funding. To the thesis of the head of the White House that the American contingent stationed in Germany allegedly “protects Germany from Russia,” Merkel replied that American troops in German territory also help to defend US interests.

A few days after the publication of this interview, Merkel at the Pentagon reported that Trump approved a plan to reduce the US military in Germany by 9.5 thousand people.

Another subject of dispute between Berlin and Washington is the construction of Nord Stream 2. The United States strongly opposes the project, calling it political, while Berlin and Moscow categorically reject such accusations, declaring the parties to be mutually beneficial from an economic point of view.

On July 1, Merkel announced that the new US sanctions on the gas pipeline contradicted the notion of law, and announced plans to bring the project to an end. Earlier, the German Chancellor criticized US restrictions on Nord Stream 2, announced by Washington on December 21, 2019. According to Merkel, in this matter “from the German and European point of view,” the German side represents primarily its interests.

  • US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
  • © Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

Also, Berlin and Washington do not always agree on the Iranian issue - the German side, unlike the American side, does not adhere to a policy of maximum pressure on Iran and the decision to abandon the nuclear deal. Berlin also opposes the US unilateral withdrawal from international agreements, in particular, the Open Skies Treaty and the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate and Shorter-Range Missiles.

Off the fairway

According to Vladimir Olenchenko, Germany, "a major world power and the leader of the EU, is burdened by the fact that the United States seeks to dictate to it how to behave in the international arena or build its economic policy."

"Therefore, the latest statements by the German side are designed to indicate to the United States that Berlin is not ready to unconditionally focus on Washington, to go in its wake, but wants to increase cooperation with Russia," the analyst said.

According to Vladimir Shapovalov, the pressure of the USA on Germany due to Nord Stream 2 will contribute to further rapprochement between Germany and the Russian Federation.

“In the Washington-Berlin-Moscow triangle, signs are gradually changing. The German side is getting closer to Russia because of the aggressive actions of the United States, which lead to increased resistance from the FRG, ”the analyst said.

However, experts agree that relations between Russia and Germany will develop in a positive way, regardless of how German-American relations can change further.

“Berlin is interested in productive contacts with Moscow and seeks to interact with it on a wide range of issues, without providing such cooperation with preconditions. Germany has objective needs for establishing a long-term partnership with Russia. Moscow is also beneficial. This approach is extremely effective in overcoming the obstacles that the United States is trying to create for Nord Stream-2 and other joint projects of the Russian Federation and Germany, ”concluded Olenchenko.