When Frank-Walter Steinmeier was foreign minister, he often campaigned for a better relationship with Russia. As Federal President, he too has to watch the relationship with Moscow deteriorate. Steinmeier has now sharply criticized Alexej Navalny’s sentencing to prison.
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It is “downright cynical to lock up someone who has just recovered from a life-threatening poisoning inflicted on him in his home country,” Steinmeier told the “Rheinische Post”. Russia is violating obligations that the country has entered into in national and international law to protect human rights. “The arrest and conviction of Alexej Navalny has nothing to do with the rule of law,” said the Federal President. “Navalny must be released immediately and without preconditions.”
Steinmeier defends pipelines as the »last bridge« to Russia
Navalny was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on Tuesday for allegedly violating probation conditions several times in an earlier criminal case in 2014, according to the judge. However, several months of house arrest and imprisonment periods are credited to him, so that his lawyers assume two years and eight months in a prison camp.
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An attack with the neurotoxin Novitschok was carried out on the most prominent Russian opposition in Russia in August, from which he subsequently recovered in Germany. He was arrested on his return to Russia in January. Research by SPIEGEL and other media shows that at least eight agents from the Russian secret service FSB were apparently involved in the poison attack on Navalny. Russia denies any involvement in the attack.
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In the course of the criticism of Nawalny’s conviction, the construction of the almost completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is repeatedly called for. Steinmeier said: “After the sustained deterioration in relations in recent years, energy relations are almost the last bridge between Russia and Europe.” Both sides would have to think about whether this bridge could be broken off completely without replacement. “I think breaking bridges is not a sign of strength. How are we supposed to still influence a situation that we perceive as unacceptable when we sever the last connections? “
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Navalny himself argued in an interview with SPIEGEL that the decision to continue building Nord Stream 2 would have to be made by Germany itself. He doesn’t want to get involved. More important would be targeted sanctions that would affect Putin’s environment and their finances in the West. On the other hand, general “sanctions against Russia as a whole would be of no use,” said Navalny.
Trouble with diplomatic deportation
How bad things are in the EU’s relations with Russia was shown on Friday when Russia expelled three EU diplomats. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) then called on Russia to comply with its international obligations. “Russia is in control of what relationship it wants to have with the rest of Europe,” Maas told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry had declared the diplomats “undesirable people.” They reportedly participated in unauthorized protests against Nawalny’s detention on January 23. This was incompatible with the diplomatic status, it was said in Moscow to justify the expulsion.
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»We will now discuss our next steps very carefully with our EU colleagues. Close coordination between the partners is important, «said Minister Maas. “The announcement by President (Joe) Biden that the approach to Russia will again be closely coordinated with the allies is an important signal.”
CSU man Weber sees “deliberate provocation” by the Russians
The chairman of the Christian Democrats in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, is less diplomatic. The CSU politician wants new punitive measures against Russia. “The sanctions against Russia that are on the table must be activated. Cash flows from Russian supporters of the Moscow power system in the EU should be cut and their accounts frozen, ”Weber said.
In Weber’s assessment, the Russian leadership has no interest in a real dialogue with the EU. “The fact that she has three diplomats from EU countries expelled at the same time as the visit of the EU Foreign Affairs Representative (Josep Borrell) is a deliberate provocation.” EU and Russia spoken.
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