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Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) has warned the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) against being instrumentalized by the Russian government during his visit to Moscow.
He hopes that Kretschmer, in his talks with the Russian leadership, will address the deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and the imprisonment of the Russian oppositionist Alexej Navalny, "and not allow himself to be exploited," said Maas on Thursday during his Balkan trip in Kosovo.
"If that's the case, I have no problem with his trip, otherwise I have."
During his trip to Moscow, Kretschmer (CDU) met with the Russian Minister of Health Michail Muraschko and spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin then announced that the conversation with Putin dealt with the fight against the corona pandemic, the Ukraine conflict and Navalny's situation.
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On site, Kretschmer also campaigned for a quick approval process for the Russian corona vaccine Sputnik V in the European Union. According to Kretschmer, Germany is negotiating three ten million doses of Sputnik V "for June, July, August". The prerequisite is the rapid approval of the vaccine by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
There had been criticism of the trip in advance.
The US consulate in Leipzig wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
"We should not tolerate or apologize for the dishonest behavior of Russia, whether it is disinformation, hacker attacks, the poisoning and detention of activists or the aggravation of regional conflicts," wrote the US consulate on a retweet in which a "false Time “of Kretschmer's trip is the topic.
"We have to make it clear to Russia that actions have consequences," added the consulate.
Kretschmer is officially invited to the opening of a German-Russian exhibition
The official occasion is the opening of the exhibition “Dreams of Freedom.
Romanticism in Russia and Germany ”in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, which opened with Dresden works of art as part of the Year of Germany in Russia on Thursday.
With the show, the organizers emphasize, Germany wants to use the opportunity for a dialogue without neglecting sensitive topics such as the restriction of freedom rights in Russia.
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"In my opinion, the revival of such a conversation is sorely needed at all levels," said Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer before the opening ceremony.
“Especially in difficult times, you have to keep in touch.
Breaking off conversations does not automatically lead to solutions. "
The focus is on masterpieces by Caspar David Friedrich, Alexej Gawrilowitsch Wenezianow, Carl Gustav Carus and Alexander Andrejewitsch Iwanow. 300 exhibits can be seen in Moscow until August 8, before the exhibition moves to Dresden. The Federal Foreign Office is partially funding the exhibition.