The summit between the Presidents of the United States and Russia Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin would be a positive event for the whole world, said on Monday, April 26, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, writes RIA Novosti.
“I think the correct US strategy is to be straightforward about the conflicts we have with Russia, but at the same time offer dialogue. This is the way we are going in the European Union. There are no reasonable alternatives to this, ”Maas said at an event of the German Atlantic Society, which is dedicated to the first 100 days of Biden’s presidency.
The minister noted that a possible meeting between the leaders of the United States and Russia would be “useful” not only for US-Russian relations, but “would be a very positive event for the world as a whole.”
Commenting on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Maas clarified that the German government still considers it necessary to complete it despite calls for a freeze on the project.
“I find it difficult to ask whether the project needs to be completed before its completion, whether it is necessary to continue doing business with Russia. I don’t think this will advance us further. We cannot debate decoupling with China and not do business with Russia at all. The result will be a rapprochement between China and Russia, ”he stressed.
Such an outcome would prove to be a bad result for the West, as it would create “the largest economic and military complex in the world.”
“This cannot be in our interests, from a geostrategic point of view, I consider it dangerous and therefore, yes, there should be an opportunity to do business with Russia and Nord Stream 2 within this framework is one of the projects,” the minister summed up.
On April 25, Heiko Maas spoke out against confrontation with Russia. According to him, the FRG’s priorities are good-neighborly relations with it. He stated that the dialogue between Russia and the West is “very bad” at present and should not remain the same in the future. One way or another, Maas believes, no one is interested in the constant provocations escalating into a serious conflict, including Europe.