Navalny affair: for lack of explanation, Berlin threatens Moscow with sanctions
Alexei Navalny participating in a march in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow on February 29, 2020. AP Photo / Pavel Golovkin
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Germany, which currently chairs the European Union, this Sunday, September 6 increased the pressure on Russia concerning the poisoning of Alexeï Navalny, bête noire of the Kremlin.
Berlin threatened sanctions for lack of response "in the coming" days on the subject.
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“
Setting ultimatums does not help anyone, but if in the next few days the Russian side does not help clarify what happened, then we are going to have to discuss a response with our partners,
” Heiko Maas told the daily
Bild.
If
sanctions are to be decided, added the German Foreign Minister, they will have to be "
targeted
", which could affect the flagship project of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, between Russia and Europe.
Main Russian opponent, Alexeï Navalny is currently hospitalized in Berlin.
According to Angela Merkel's government, he was "
unequivocally
" poisoned in Russia during an election tour, before his transfer to Germany, by a
Novichok-type nerve
agent
, designed in Soviet times for military purposes.
Russia accuses Germany of delaying investigation
In response, Russia accused Germany on Sunday of delaying the investigation into the suspected poisoning of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny, in a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“
Until now, we are not sure that Germany is not playing a double game,
” even said Ms. Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
She believes that Berlin was slow to respond on its side to requests from Russian justice.
"
What is the urgency you insist on?
», She adds, to Mr. Mass.
For Berlin, Moscow is involved in the poisoning
Berlin and other Western countries have repeatedly urged Moscow to shed light on the poisoning.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week greeted
the assassination accusations
with “
a good dose of skepticism”
and asked Berlin to provide evidence.
His German counterpart directly implicated the Russian state in the poisoning:
"
There are several signs in this direction, this is the reason why the Russian side must now react
", justified Heiko Maas.
►Also read: NATO calls on Russia to shed light on the poisoning of Alexey Navalny
“
The deadly substance with which Navalny was poisoned has been in the possession of Russian authorities in the past.
Only a small number of people have access to Novichok and this poison has already been used by the Russian services for the attack against the ex-agent [Russian] Sergei Skripal
”in Great Britain, the German minister added.
This Thursday, September 3, the head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, had spoken of possible sanctions.
The Nord Stream 2 dossier is back on the table
In this regard, Heiko Maas has not completely ruled out an impact on the very controversial project currently being completed for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which is supposed to supply Germany and Europe with Russian gas.
A very expensive project in Berlin so far.
"
I hope in any case that the Russians will not force us to change our position on Nord Stream
", warned the minister, while calling not to "
reduce
" the debate to this single issue.
Until now, the German Chancellor has always wanted to split the two files, the economic and energy interests of the project being major for her country: more than a hundred European companies, half of which are German, are involved.
At the national level, Nord Stream has nevertheless become a controversial subject of debate between the contenders for his succession to the chancellery, in his conservative camp, in view of the legislative elections at the end of 2021.
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