Germany expresses concern over threats from Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 21, 2021 in Moscow.

AP - Sergey Guneyev

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed her concern on Wednesday as Russia strains its muscles on the international stage.

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The tens of thousands of Russian soldiers

are a matter of concern in Germany, reports our correspondent in Berlin 

. However, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock remains convinced that this crisis will and can only be resolved through dialogue, via the Normandy format, that is to say by bringing Russia together around the negotiating table. , Ukraine, France and Germany.

It must be said that Russia has been worrying the Germans lately.

This Wednesday, December 22, the Berlin media regulator has withdrawn the satellite broadcasting license of

, a television channel funded by Moscow, present since 2014 in Germany.

A decision that irritated Moscow.

A week ago, the conviction of a Kremlin agent, found guilty of executing a Chechen opponent in the middle of Berlin in the summer of 2019, led to

.

Finally, the

, a large Russian gas pipeline arriving in Germany via the Baltic Sea, is still on hold, officially for legal reasons.

What will Putin say during his annual press conference?

Annalena Baerbock also expressed Wednesday of her " 

 " after Vladimir Putin promised a "

 "

response 

from Russia if his Western rivals did not end their policies deemed threatening.

" 

 " responded a spokesman for American diplomacy.

The Russian president is due to speak again this Thursday, December 23 for his annual press conference, says our correspondent in Moscow, 

.

Is Vladimir Putin going to blow the heat and the cold?

Or will he continue to put hard pressure on his opponents?

Since the start of the week, in any case, the relative skepticism of experts has given way to concern in Russia. The hypothesis of a conflict this winter between Moscow, Kiev and the West is now perceived as serious. Galloping inflation, continuous decline in purchasing power, threats of major sanctions ... Public opinion, however, does not seem ready to follow this time.

The fact remains that society is a little more locked down every day.

For this press conference, the Kremlin had promised it: media classified as " 

 " will be in the room.

No invitation card, however, for the newspaper

and

, its editor-in-chief, awarded the

this fall.

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