Federal Chancellor Merkel in Moscow
Federal Chancellor Merkel brought a range of pressing issues to the table on her visit to Russia, including Afghanistan, Ukraine and the situation of civil society groups. She also remembered the victims of the invasion of the then Soviet Union by Hitler’s troops.
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Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Photo: Federal Government/ Bergmann
In discussions with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed a range of bilateral and international challenges. These challenges ranged from evolving trade relations and questions of bilateral collaboration through to issues around opportunities for non-governmental organisations to work in Russia. Although Merkel acknowledged current differences of opinion with Russia, she was nevertheless “very glad that we are talking to each other.”
Keeping communication channels open
The Federal Chancellor accepted that there had been “dreadful lows and good times as well”, and both countries had grown apart politically in recent years. However, Merkel gave this assessment of her many meetings with the Russian president: “A lot remains to be done, but not talking is not an option.” For Merkel, there is an ongoing duty to continue talking, exchanging views “and never shy away from difficult issues.” She explained this was why she had always sought to keep channels of communication open.
This was the first visit by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel to Moscow since her working visit in January 2020. The Federal Chancellor laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier in the Alexander Garden inside the Kremlin, in an act of remembrance on behalf of Germany for the victims of the invasion of the then Soviet Union by Hitler’s troops on 22 June 1941.
Afghanistan – a key issue
The dramatic developments in Afghanistan made it a priority in the encounter between the two leaders. Following the takeover by the Taliban, the Federal Chancellor stressed the importance of preventing the Islamist group from carrying out acts of vengeance and atrocities against the civilian population. She also noted that it would be a “terrible pity” if the progress that had been made in healthcare and education, for example, came to nothing, and that joint action in accordance with the rules of the United Nations would be required.
Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, making its participation essential in any political solution to the conflict. Merkel also stressed that joint action was a way of confronting the resurgence of the so-called Islamic State’s (IS) terrorist activities. She recalled the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York on 11 September 2001 and how they had led to the military intervention by a broad coalition of states.
Civil society groups under pressure
The Federal Chancellor also condemned the oppressive treatment of the opposition politician Alexei Navalny. She described his detention in a prison camp as “unacceptable”, as it was based on a judgement which the European Court of Human Rights had already disqualified as unlawful in 2017. Alexei Navalny was poisoned exactly a year ago on Russian soil using a banned nerve agent, but Russian law enforcement agencies have still not identified the perpetrators. Merkel therefore called for Navalny’s immediate release.
In the run-up to the Russian parliamentary elections in September, the Federal Chancellor also deplored the challenges facing civil society groups in the country.
She described pressing Putin “urgently” to suspend the listing of three German non-governmental organisations, which effectively barred them from working.
Merkel pressed Putin on the significance of the groups’ work, particularly during the “German Year” 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. These organisations had started work through the St Petersburg Dialogue, and Merkel stressed that their activities were “a very important sign” of social diversity and democratic participation.
Moscow, 20 August 2021: Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel on arrival in Russia.
The Federal Chancellor laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier by the western wall of the Kremlin.
On behalf of Germany, she remembered the victims of the invasion of the former Soviet Union by Hitler’s troops on 22 June 1941.
Afterwards the Federal Chancellor was welcomed into the Green Drawing Room at the Kremlin by President Vladimir Putin.
On the agenda for the face-to-face discussions were a range of bilateral and international issues. These included trade relations and questions of international collaboration, as well as opportunities for non-governmental organisations to work in Russia.
The dramatic developments in Afghanistan brought this issue to the forefront of the encounter between the two leaders.
Following the takeover by the Taliban, the Federal Chancellor stressed the importance of preventing the Islamist group from carrying out acts of vengeance and atrocities against the civilian population.
Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, making its participation essential in any political solution to the conflict. Merkel also stressed that joint action was a way of confronting the resurgence of the so-called Islamic State’s (IS) terrorist activities.
Ukraine conflict – an ongoing issue
Although the ceasefire agreement which was confirmed just under a year ago is still broadly holding, political progress in the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine has failed to materialise along the lines set down in the 2015 Minsk Protocol and confirmed at the last Normandy Format summit meeting. The Federal Chancellor made the Russian president aware of this fact, and that this progress was urgently needed to bring peace to eastern Ukraine. Merkel committed herself to her ongoing efforts “in the interest of the people” to draw up an agenda in the coming weeks for a further Normandy Format summit meeting.
She refused to accept that the stagnation in “the only format we have available in which to discuss issues under dispute” should end “in an impasse.” Merkel and Putin agreed that the Normandy Format should be looked after carefully. On the issue of the Ukraine, the Federal Chancellor also noted that “it went without saying” that Germany took a negative view of the illegal annexation of Crimea.
However, the main issue for Merkel in eastern Ukraine was security, particularly with regard to the organisation of local elections. The complete withdrawal of foreign troops and Ukraine regaining sovereignty over its eastern border also remain unresolved issues. According to Merkel, there is an urgent need for Russia to use its influence over the separatists. For her part, she intended to make efforts towards progress in her discussions with the Ukrainian leadership.
International issues
The Federal Chancellor’s one-on-one discussions with President Putin also covered the issue of Nord Stream 2. The Federal Chancellor described the project as having “a European character”, and stressed that its impending completion was contingent on gas continuing to be transported through Ukraine. Germany would seek an extension of the gas supply contract beyond 2024, Merkel said. The USA was among countries calling for an extension, so special representative Georg Graf Waldersee would use his diplomatic experience to this end. Merkel explained that “We feel responsible.”
With regard to the Belarus/Lithuania border, the Federal Chancellor made it clear that “I condemn in the strongest possible terms Lukashenko’s use of people as hybrid weapons.”
She committed Germany to working with Russia to agree solutions to the conflicts in Libya and Syria, such as a reciprocal process for the withdrawal of foreign troops.