World press on the Russian-German relations (November 16-17, 2014)"Putin's Reach: Merkel Concerned about Russian Influence in the Balkans", reads the title of the article published by Spiegel Online."Berlin has begun to see Moscow as an adversary rather than as a potential partner. The German government is concerned about efforts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase his influence in the Balkans. Stopping him, however, could prove difficult", begins the article."From the perspective of Berlin, Russia has gone from being a difficult partner to being an adversary within just one year", explains the article. "Instead, Berlin is now discussing ways in which it might be able to slow down Russia's expansionary drive -- particularly in the Balkans, a region in which some states are not entirely stable".According to the Spiegel Online, a whole new science of Russian studies emerged known as "Putinology". At a Monday lecture held by the German chancellor at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, Angela Merkel warned that the EU will not yield to Moscow like East Germany once did. "Otherwise, one would have to say: We are too weak, be careful, we can't accept any others, we have to first ask Moscow if it is possible. That's how things were for 40 years; I never really wanted to return to that situation," she said quoted by the Spiegel Online.She then made a particularly notable comment: "And that doesn't just apply to Ukraine. It applies to Moldova, it applies to Georgia. If the situation continues ... we'd have to ask about Serbia, we'd have to ask about the western Balkan countries."
"Putin's Reach: Merkel Concerned about Russian Influence in the Balkans", reads the title of the article published by Spiegel Online.
"Berlin has begun to see Moscow as an adversary rather than as a potential partner. The German government is concerned about efforts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase his influence in the Balkans. Stopping him, however, could prove difficult", begins the article.
"From the perspective of Berlin, Russia has gone from being a difficult partner to being an adversary within just one year", explains the article. "Instead, Berlin is now discussing ways in which it might be able to slow down Russia's expansionary drive -- particularly in the Balkans, a region in which some states are not entirely stable".
According to the Spiegel Online, a whole new science of Russian studies emerged known as "Putinology".
At a Monday lecture held by the German chancellor at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, Angela Merkel warned that the EU will not yield to Moscow like East Germany once did. "Otherwise, one would have to say: We are too weak, be careful, we can't accept any others, we have to first ask Moscow if it is possible. That's how things were for 40 years; I never really wanted to return to that situation," she said quoted by the Spiegel Online.
She then made a particularly notable comment: "And that doesn't just apply to Ukraine. It applies to Moldova, it applies to Georgia. If the situation continues ... we'd have to ask about Serbia, we'd have to ask about the western Balkan countries."
