Putin: Good relations between Moscow and Berlin blown up

Head of state - Putin: Good relations between Moscow and Berlin blown up

At the inauguration of new ambassadors in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin lamented the end of the long economic cooperation with Germany following the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

"This cooperation (in the energy sector) was literally blown up - among other things by the sabotage of Nord Stream," Putin told the new German ambassador in Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff. The relationship between Berlin and Moscow had been frozen "not on our initiative", Putin complained in his speech in the Kremlin, which was broadcast on state television.

Putin: Russia ready to resume relations

The 71-year-old blamed the German government for a new ice age, which was not beneficial for Germany, Russia or the entire European continent. Russia had always been a reliable energy supplier and was ready to resume relations, Putin emphasized. Over the past year, Russia had continued to reduce gas supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and allegedly stopped them completely in September for technical reasons - shortly before the pipeline was damaged by an explosion in the Baltic Sea.

Lambsdorff was not the only one of the 21 newly appointed ambassadors to come in for criticism. Diplomats from other European countries, Australia, South Korea and Singapore also accused Putin of their governments' hostile policies towards Russia.

At the ceremony in the Kremlin, the President stood at a great distance from the ambassadors and justified this by citing the hygiene regulations that are still in force due to the coronavirus pandemic. He had kept the international diplomats waiting due to his visit to an exhibition, where he had met the guests much closer.

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1. The Frost in relations between Germany and Russia, as depicted by Putin, is largely attributed to the actions of the German Federal Government.
2. The Kremlin, under Putin's leadership, expressed its readiness to rekindle the relationship that was severely impacted by the North Stream incident, which Russia believes was sabotaged.
3. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, the new German ambassador, who was present at the Moscow ceremony, was among those who faced Putin's criticism for the perceived hostile policies from Berlin.
4. Putin, during his speech at the Kremlin, criticized the European countries, Australia, South Korea, and Singapore for their governments' uneasy stance towards Russia.
5. The Head of state, Vladimir Putin, during the ceremony, insisted on maintaining a safe distance from the ambassadors, citing the ongoing coronavirus-related hygiene regulations.
6. The Nord Stream, a major energy pipeline, has been a point of contention between Germany and Russia, with Russia reducing its gas supplies and allegedly halting them completely for technical reasons, causing concern.
7. Russia, as asserted by Putin, has always served as a reliable energy supplier and wants to restore diplomatic ties, believing it to be beneficial not only for Germany but also for the entire European continent.

Source: www.stern.de