Angela Merkel said she was “saddened” that fellow EU leaders had compromised her decision to block the bloc have their first meeting with Vladimir Putin since the Russian occupation of 2014 in the Crimea. It showed, he said, “we don’t trust each other too much”.
It was the unmistakable sound of a politician known for his self-control and singing. However it showed the remaining scars by a The goal of Franco-Germany This caused a great deal of anger and resentment – even among close allies of Merkel.
The dispute disrupted another EU summit of one of Europe’s longest-serving leaders. Merkel is set to step down this year after serving as chancellor for 16 years, and negotiations this week have not been as successful as many have expected.
“They misunderstood what they could do,” said Ulrich Speck, a visiting fellow of the German Marshall Fund in the US. “This was a sign that his strength was waning.”
The EU-Russia summit was the second in Merkel’s foreign policy to disrupt this year. The main EU-China trade agreement he sponsored was to close the ice in March by the European Parliament China approved the approval of five MEPs. “Merkel is a crippled duck,” Speck said.
For a long time Merkel has staged demonstrations in the EU demonstrating skills in reading the room and making sure the conflicts go away. But this week, the process has failed.
Reluctantly, they rejected the idea of other EU countries that he and Macron were making free “approvals” for Russia by moving to the summit. “I want to make it clear that such talks with the Russian President are not a reward,” he told a news conference after the meeting.
For Merkel’s political opponents in Germany, the line has shown a sharp decline in interest rates Nord River 2, a Berlin-assisted pipeline that supplies Russian gas directly to Germany and many see the reliance on Europe as dependent on Russian power.
“The problem is that because of NS2, Germany has completely lost its ambassador to Europe,” said Franziska Brantner, Greens’ European spokesman. “Some EU countries still have doubts as to whether the German government is acting in the interests of Europe or German business.”
After the summit, Merkel described what led her to press for the idea of a Russian summit – the largest of which was a demonstration of Russia. Joe Biden has a direct encounter with Putin in Geneva this month.
Given that the US and Russia have agreed on a framework to “resolve all disputes” in their relations, Merkel said “in such a situation, it would be reasonable to find a way for the EU to talk to Russia, too.”
It was not, he insisted, the question of “a fresh start” in EU-Russia relations, but a matter of finding a way to resolve the current conflict.
“Even in the Cold War. . . We have been in constant communication, ”he said. While other countries including Germany and France continued to hold talks with the Kremlin, it was reasonable for the EU to address Moscow with one voice, he said.
Madiplomat says Merkel is likely to see this week’s summit as her last chance to establish a EU on a merger path before taking part in politics.
And the move came with the support of a young colleague, the Social Democrats. “The EU must be a security chief. . .[and]Be one of the world’s leaders, “Olaf Scholz, SPD’s finance minister, told FT.” And Russia needs to understand and accept the EU agreement. “
He was no longer without EU support. When some leaders demanded that Putin’s meeting be called off because of the deterioration of his policies, human rights activists said Russia’s deteriorating relations were a major reason for the EU to change.
The problem, say ambassadors, is that the decision was made by the promoters just one day before the meeting. One called gambling “well-designed” and “something that came as lightning from the sky”.
Germany also appears to have ignored the interest of countries close to Russia. The Baltic response was strong, with other countries, such as the Netherlands, insisting they could not sit at the same table as Putin.
However, Mark Rutte, a Dutch prime minister and former Merkel’s ally, said the chancellor’s gambling would “not tarnish his reputation”.
“My opinion was very close to the Franco-German idea, but I did not accept the EU27 meeting with Putin. It would be a great gift for him,” he told the Financial Times.
The courage of the plan also jeopardized his chances. Russia has not withdrawn its troops from Crimea or eastern Ukraine, as it seeks to assassinate Alexey Navalny, Russia’s main opposition leader, has strained relations.
However, this is not the end of the story. The Czech Republic and the Netherlands have stated no opposition to a meeting between the European Commission president and the Council and Putin.
And Sanna Marin, Finland’s Prime Minister, said the question was not over. “Yesterday was not the right time, but I think we will discuss this again.”
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