Germany is proposing a “New Deal”, a “new deal” to the United States. Heiko Maas, the head of German diplomacy, in fact suggests to Joe Biden’s administration to ally against the “autocrats”. Russia and China in particular are in his sights.
“Germany is by your side”
The German Foreign Minister wants to redefine transatlantic relations, undermined by the mandate of Donald Trump.
The Trump era has undermined relations between Germany and the United States
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Joe Biden recently proclaimed at the Munich Security Conference: “America is back”. Heiko Maas’ response is: “Germany is on your side”.
The minister held yesterday [09.03.21] his first speech on transatlantic relations since the arrival of Joe Biden to the White House, a speech on the occasion of the establishment of the German-American Fritz Stern chair at theInstitut Brookings from Washington.
Selon Heiko Maas, “investing in European sovereignty is investing in the transatlantic partnership.”
Alliance of Democracies
The head of German diplomacy evokes a “New Deal”: he calls on Europe and the United States to ally again more closely to defend democratic values against the assaults of autocratic regimes like Russia or China.
Demonstration in Berlin to demand the release of Russian opponent Navalny
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Heiko Maas proposes the organization of a summit of the great democracies in order to fight, through strengthened international regulation, against disinformation and conspiracy theories.
This proposition arises as a study of External action service of the European Union affirms that the Russian authorities are at the origin, since the end of 2015, of the propagation of more than 700 “fake news” concerning Germany, that is to say more than on any other country.
Heiko Maas therefore calls for a common strategy of Europeans and Americans against the Russian and Chinese governments. He hopes for “a common transatlantic position on targeted sanctions”.
German soldiers in Afghanistan (2009 archive)
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Stabilize beyond borders
In addition, the German Minister underlines the need for the European Union, in addition to strengthening democracy within it, to work for the stabilization of conflict zones and he recalls Germany’s commitment in Afghanistan or to find a solution. agreement in Libya, for example.
>>> To read also: In Afghanistan: the ECHR exonerates Berlin after a strike
These efforts are illustrated in particular by the increase in military spending in the Federal Republic, an increase of 50%, according to Heiko Maas, since 2014.
Without however making a commitment to finance NATO to the tune of 2% of German GDP, the head of diplomacy also underlines the interdependence of Europe and the United States in terms of security.
Heiko Maas also advocates the new rapprochement with the United States on a commercial level. He calls for an end to “the cycle of customs taxes and sanctions” initiated under the Trump era and he wants the opening of negotiations for agreements in certain sectors of the economy in order “to raise [les] social and environmental standards “.
On the Nord Stream 2 site
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Point of contention ignored: Nord Stream 2
In her speech, Heiko Maas refrained from mentioning the main point of disagreement between Germany and the United States: the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, supposed to carry Russian gas to Germany via the Baltic Sea. A multibillion-euro project that Washington wants to stop for fear of increasing Europe’s energy dependence on Russia.
>>> To read also: Relations with Moscow are “at their lowest”
Reinhard Krumm of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation has a “positive agenda”
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A Manichean reading of the world
One of the criticisms leveled against Heiko Maas in his speech is that he relies on a Manichean rhetoric of the great powers, reminiscent of the blocs of the Cold War.
However, certain political scientists like Reinhard Krumm, director of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Vienna note that it would be necessary, rather than defining enemies common to Westerners, to promote a “positive agenda” in the future.
That is to say, formulate proposals, for example by drawing inspiration from the thought of Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s and not limiting reflection to the elites. In order to break the clash of frozen antagonistic global systems, in the hope of achieving lasting global peace and prosperity.
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