Mikhail Fedotov: “Russia and Germany are interested in continuation of a dialogue”

Mikhail Fedotov, the chairman of the Presidential Council for Development of Civic Society and Human Rights, speaks about the importance of maintaining a dialogue between Russia and Western countries and relations between Russia and Germany under the conditions of sanctions. In October 2014 a session of the Russian German Civic Forum “St. Petersburg Dialogue” was cancelled for the first time in 13 years, on Germany’s initiative. In November the Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted that the forum should be reformed and its leadership should be replaced. Thus, the state intends to interfere in the affairs of those civic society organizations which are not critical enough of Russia regarding the events in Ukraine.