Germany is still intent on normalizing relations with Russia, the country’s top diplomat has said before a planned visit to Moscow, insisting that recent bilateral talks can’t be expected to solve every problem at once.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock downplayed the breakdown of talks between Russia and the West, arguing that productive diplomacy between the two sides is still very much possible.
“There have been no joint talks with Russia within the framework of NATO for two years,” she explained. “I don’t think anyone came to the negotiating table and thought: ‘We haven’t talked to each other for two years, now we’ll solve in a few hours everything that hasn’t been discussed in the last few years."
The foreign minister, who will be traveling to Moscow and Kiev this week for negotiations, emphasized that solving problems diplomatically is rarely easy. “Diplomacy, especially in times of crisis, is characterized by the fact that it requires a lot of perseverance, a lot of patience, and strong nerves,” she said. “We are doing everything we can to ensure that there is no further escalation.”
