Months after leaving power, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken to the political scene to talk about aspects of her private life, Europe's need for gas, and her relationship with Russia.

Merkel has defended her Russia policy, saying she should not "apologise" for its reliance on diplomacy and trade in an effort to avoid war in Ukraine.

The 67-year-old former chancellor, who withdrew from politics, appeared relaxed Tuesday in her longest public interview in front of a Berlin theater audience since leaving the premiership six months ago.

It again strongly condemned the Russian invasion, which it said was "unjustified".

"It is a brutal departure from international law for which there is absolutely no excuse," she added.

But she dismissed criticism that her policies had anything to do with it.

Merkel said she had known for several years about the threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to European security.

The former chancellor - who has ruled in the largest European economy for 16 years - added that it was in Germany's interest to "find a temporary settlement with Russia so that we do not find ourselves in a state of war" but rather "to be able to coexist despite all our differences."

Nord Stream 2

The centre-right former chancellor is accused of increasing Europe's dependence on Russia's energy sector, including by promoting the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, despite the reservations of its European and American partners.

And since the invasion of Ukraine, the pipeline that was supposed to double Germany's ability to supply Russian gas has stopped even before its operation.

Germany has for a long time pursued a policy of outreach to Russia based on the idea that trade would lead to the gradual democratization of this country.

The head of state, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was a foreign minister in the Merkel government, admitted in early April that he had made a "mistake" by supporting the construction of this gas pipeline.

But Merkel does not see it that way.

"I did not imagine that Putin would change thanks to trade relations," the former chancellor said, arguing that the Russian president had abolished the idea of ​​democracy.

In an interview with a journalist from the weekly "Der Spiegel" magazine, she added that it was clear to her that Russia "will always remain a neighbor of Europe that cannot be ignored."


Normandy formula

She went on to justify her position that if it was not possible to achieve political rapprochement, "it is appropriate to have commercial relations at least."

"I will not apologize" for the political line she has taken in recent years, Merkel said adamantly.

Merkel also defended diplomatic efforts made under the so-called "Normandy format" with France after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

She said the operation brought not the hoped for peace but rather "some calm" that allowed Ukraine to benefit from an additional 7 years to develop as a country and strengthen its army, praising the "courage and enthusiasm" of Ukrainians in defending their country.

But Merkel, who remained chancellor for four states and met Vladimir Putin several times, admitted at the same time that "we have not succeeded in creating a security structure that would avoid the" catastrophic" war that is currently taking place.

Shakespeare and the Baltic Sea

For the first time, the still popular chancellor in Germany spoke about her life since her retirement, to the audience's laughter several times.

In particular, she said, she spent 5 weeks on the shores of the Baltic Sea, where she regained the pleasure of reading and found the time, and also discovered audiobooks that required "less concentration".

She took the opportunity to listen to "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare.

During her 30-year career in politics, the former chancellor held "meeting after meeting".

Today, however, she asserts that she appreciates her freedom.

"Personally, I feel good," she said, before adding, "But I was envisioning my retirement after my tenure in a different way," referring to events in Ukraine.