Yesterday, Vladimir Putin held a meeting with German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economy and Energy, Sigmar Gabriel, who visited Moscow heading delegation of business circles' representatives. This meeting was also attended by the Minister of Economic Development, Alexei Ulyukayev, and chairman of the Board of 'Gazprom', Alexey Miller.
Despite sanctions, Germany remains one of Russia's most important trade and economic partners. However, the trade turnover is decreasing: over the past year - by 40%; in the first half of this year - by another 35%. Nevertheless, "The Days of Russia" forum, recently held in Rostock, was attended by over 600 business representatives from both German and Russian side. Gabriel personally attended the Days of Russian Economy in Rostock, where he met with the Russian Minister of Industry. "Not only the eastern part of Germany has the interest in cooperation, the entire economy, all businesses in Germany want to continue to maintain all of their contacts and expand, not only to maintain the existing cooperation," German Vice-Chancellor said. According to him, right now there are more than five thousand German companies in the Russian Federation.
"I visited the Soviet Union for the first time in the 1980s, when the West boycotted the Olympic Games. Its my fate, I always visit this country during difficult times. Right now there are complex issues around Syria, around Ukraine," Sigmar Gabriel said.
According to Daily Express, Gabriel assured that he supports the lifting of EU sanctions against Russia, but that requires progress on the peaceful settlement in Ukraine:"I do my best so that sanctions imposed after the situation around Crimea could be abolish after some time. Significant progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements will contribute to this. If we will manage to achieve it, then we can improve relations, which will be beneficial for both sides. Daily Express recalls that the Social Democrats of Sigmar Gabriel are partners of Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government. Gabriel has a softer position on Moscow, compared to Merkel, who says that Russia must do more in order to support fragile peace process in Ukraine.
