On Tuesday 25th November, 2014, I wrote that,
"It is also about time that Merkel ends the rather suspicious 'special' relationship that she has with Putin. Those tete-a-tete's, those private conversations that she has with Putin, sometimes until 1.30am in the morning, rather belies her 'incredulity' about his 'open' invasion of eastern Ukraine and his behaviour on the international stage."
What is now emerging, as reported in RT (November 23, 2014) is that Germany's Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has stated in an interview with Der Spiegel magazine that,
Indeed, as recently as 3rd July, 2016, I wrote that,
"Let us cast our minds back a few weeks, and recall that,
"I hope that by the end of June there will be progress and then we can see if we can reduce the [EU]sanctions [against Russia] step by step, or if we stay with the measures we have right now," Steinmeier told reporters on a visit to Tallinn on May 27." (Turkish Weekly : June 19, 2016) (my emphasis)
Also bear in mind that, 
And now, suddenly, many critics are beginning to question,
"German Foreign Minister's recent series of
comments about working closer with Russia, with some labelling the
diplomat a "Russia-sympathizer" (cf: Putinversteher May 10th 2014)
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier continued to push his ideas for détente towards Russia on Monday, arguing for better relations between the two countries at a conference in Berlin.
"We cannot simply wish away a Russia that has become immensely more difficult," he said, calling for Germany and Russia to go from "a phase of confrontation and growing tensions, back to a reliable understanding of common security". (The Local : Aug. 29, 2016) (my emphasis)
Furthermore that,
"While Merkel earlier this summer blamed Russia’s actions in Ukraine for a breakdown of trust with Nato, Steinmeier himself appeared to point a finger at Nato, warning it in June against " “warmongering”.
....
Outside of Germany, its neighbours in Poland have expressed their own concerns about Germany’s relationship with Mother Russia. (ibid The Local) (my emphasis)
How does the Putinversteher Steinmeier see an end to Putin's war with Ukraine?
By having those Putin-designed elections in the current warzone of the Donbas!
"Despite intensive endeavours, there has been no tangible progress either as regards improving the security situation in eastern Ukraine or on reaching the necessary consensus on local elections." Steinmeier said. (UT : Aug. 14, 2016)
Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, best describes the total absurdity of holding elections in the current Donbas warzone in an interview with Deutsche Welle (01.09.2016 ).
But perhaps even more disconcerting,
"German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has reiterated that Russia should be returned to the G8 group of states, but it depends on the country's role in settling conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.
"The conflicts in Syria and Ukraine show that it is in our interest not to exclude Russia from the close cooperation of the major economies," Steinmeier said in an interview to the German RND." (UT : Aug. 31, 2016) (my emphasis)
And whilst the mask is fast slipping from the face of Putinversteher Walter Steinmeier,
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday, August 29, she supported
lifting the sanctions from Russia. At the same time, she reminded that
the restriction termination was linked to the implementation of the
Minsk agreements." (UT : Aug. 30, 2016) (my emphasis)
Merkel's caveat about "the implementation of the Minsk agreements" rings rather hollow since just recently it was announced that,
"Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has announced that no meeting
in the Normandy format between the presidents of Germany, France and
Russia is scheduled on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China, the
leaders will have separate meetings, according to Russian news agency
RIA Novosti.
As stated by the new advisor to the Ukrainian
President, Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
"If Russia shirks its commitment to fulfilling the Minsk agreements and
continues to destabilize the Donbas, Western countries and NATO can
provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons, former NATO
Secretary-General (2009-2014) and current new advisor to the Ukrainian
President Anders Fogh Rasmussen (right) said in his interview with Apostrophe." (UT : Sep. 4, 2016) (my emphasis)
Added to which,
"Lithuania says it has supplied lethal weaponry to Ukraine for the first time since 2014.
About 150 tonnes of ammunition were handed over to Ukraine on Friday, mostly 5.45 caliber cartridges for various modifications of Kalashnikov AK-47 rifle which the Lithuanian army no longer uses, a spokesman for country's Joint Chiefs of Staff told Reuters." (Reuters :
Putinversteher Walter Steinmeier is the current Chairman of the OSCE and the political child of his mentor, former Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schröder, you can understand why eyebrows are now being raised at German diplomacy becoming extremely chummy with Russia.
(to be continued)
"It is also about time that Merkel ends the rather suspicious 'special' relationship that she has with Putin. Those tete-a-tete's, those private conversations that she has with Putin, sometimes until 1.30am in the morning, rather belies her 'incredulity' about his 'open' invasion of eastern Ukraine and his behaviour on the international stage."
What is now emerging, as reported in RT (November 23, 2014) is that Germany's Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has stated in an interview with Der Spiegel magazine that,
- he is against Ukraine joining NATO
- he does not believe it is realistic for Ukraine to join the European Union in the foreseeable future, as the economic and political modernization of Ukraine is a “project for a few generations.” (my emphasis)
- it is possible for NATO to have a partnership with Ukraine, but not membership" (blog entry : 25/11/2014)
Indeed, as recently as 3rd July, 2016, I wrote that,
"Let us cast our minds back a few weeks, and recall that,
"I hope that by the end of June there will be progress and then we can see if we can reduce the [EU]sanctions [against Russia] step by step, or if we stay with the measures we have right now," Steinmeier told reporters on a visit to Tallinn on May 27." (Turkish Weekly : June 19, 2016) (my emphasis)
And now, suddenly, many critics are beginning to question,
"German Foreign Minister's recent series of
comments about working closer with Russia, with some labelling the
diplomat a "Russia-sympathizer" (cf: Putinversteher May 10th 2014)German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier continued to push his ideas for détente towards Russia on Monday, arguing for better relations between the two countries at a conference in Berlin.
"We cannot simply wish away a Russia that has become immensely more difficult," he said, calling for Germany and Russia to go from "a phase of confrontation and growing tensions, back to a reliable understanding of common security". (The Local : Aug. 29, 2016) (my emphasis)
Furthermore that,
"While Merkel earlier this summer blamed Russia’s actions in Ukraine for a breakdown of trust with Nato, Steinmeier himself appeared to point a finger at Nato, warning it in June against " “warmongering”.
....
Outside of Germany, its neighbours in Poland have expressed their own concerns about Germany’s relationship with Mother Russia. (ibid The Local) (my emphasis)
How does the Putinversteher Steinmeier see an end to Putin's war with Ukraine?
By having those Putin-designed elections in the current warzone of the Donbas!
"Despite intensive endeavours, there has been no tangible progress either as regards improving the security situation in eastern Ukraine or on reaching the necessary consensus on local elections." Steinmeier said. (UT : Aug. 14, 2016)
Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, best describes the total absurdity of holding elections in the current Donbas warzone in an interview with Deutsche Welle (01.09.2016 ).
But perhaps even more disconcerting,
"German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has reiterated that Russia should be returned to the G8 group of states, but it depends on the country's role in settling conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.
"The conflicts in Syria and Ukraine show that it is in our interest not to exclude Russia from the close cooperation of the major economies," Steinmeier said in an interview to the German RND." (UT : Aug. 31, 2016) (my emphasis)
And whilst the mask is fast slipping from the face of Putinversteher Walter Steinmeier,
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday, August 29, she supported
lifting the sanctions from Russia. At the same time, she reminded that
the restriction termination was linked to the implementation of the
Minsk agreements." (UT : Aug. 30, 2016) (my emphasis)Merkel's caveat about "the implementation of the Minsk agreements" rings rather hollow since just recently it was announced that,
"Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has announced that no meeting
in the Normandy format between the presidents of Germany, France and
Russia is scheduled on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China, the
leaders will have separate meetings, according to Russian news agency
RIA Novosti.
...
Poroshenko during a telephone conversation
offered to use the Hangzhou summit for the purpose of holding a
top-level meeting in the Normandy format. The meeting was not agreed
upon, and after the known events in Crimea [Putin] clearly voiced
his attitude to such possible contact. We refused even to consider such a
possibility," he added." (UNIAN : 30 August 2016) (my emphasis)
Putin's 'tough guy' stance, however, is rebounding on him.
As stated by the new advisor to the Ukrainian
President, Anders Fogh Rasmussen,Added to which,
"Lithuania says it has supplied lethal weaponry to Ukraine for the first time since 2014.
About 150 tonnes of ammunition were handed over to Ukraine on Friday, mostly 5.45 caliber cartridges for various modifications of Kalashnikov AK-47 rifle which the Lithuanian army no longer uses, a spokesman for country's Joint Chiefs of Staff told Reuters." (Reuters :
Putinversteher Walter Steinmeier is the current Chairman of the OSCE and the political child of his mentor, former Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schröder, you can understand why eyebrows are now being raised at German diplomacy becoming extremely chummy with Russia.
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