Page 4 - FSUOGM Week 34 2021

FSUOGM COMMENTARY FSUOGM

Putin and Merkel meet in

Moscow for the last time to

talk democracy and gas

Opposition critic Navalny and gas supplies to Europe featured prominently in the talks

EUROPE GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel flew to
Moscow on August 20 to meet with Russian
President Vladimir Putin for the last time as
chancellor for wide-ranging talks where jailed
opposition politician Alexey Navalny and gas
deliveries to Europe featured prominently.
Merkel was a staunch critic of the jailing of
Navalny earlier this year and her visit comes a
year after he collapsed on a plane in Russia after
being poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent
that ended with Navalny recovering in a Berlin
hospital. Merkel went to visit Navalny while he
was recuperating in a show of solidarity with
the Kremlin critic, reiterated her objections to
the Kremlin’s decision to throw him in jail and
“demanded” he be released.
“We … spoke about the depressing situa-
tion of Alexei Navalny,” the German leader told
reporters after the talks.
“I have demanded once again from the pres- over the past 12 months indicated “a planned
ident to release Navalny and I have made it clear provocation aimed at discrediting Russia in the
that we will remain on the case,” she said. eyes of the global community and at damaging
But Putin said Navalny had been punished its national interests”.
for breaking the law. While in Germany last year The ministry accused Berlin of failing
Navalny missed several meetings with his parole to provide evidence that would support its
officer that are connected to a previous convic- “brazen allegations” that Navalny was poi-
tion and suspended sentence for fraud that Nav- soned with a nerve agent. It said Germany
alny says was politically motivated. left legal requests from Russian law enforce-
“He is convicted not of his political activity, ment without any “meaningful answers” and
but of a criminal offence,” Putin said and called instead played “bureaucratic ping-pong” with
for his critics to respect the Russian judicial sys- Moscow.
tem and its decisions. Navalny celebrated the anniversary of his poi-
Putin went on to say that Russia allows for soning with a letter that was published in many
protests and opposition but said they had to be European newspapers that called on the West to
conducted within the framework of Russian leg- do more to crackdown on corruption, accusing
islation, which allows the Kremlin to control the the west of double standards.
process and ban protests it doesn't like at will. “At present, alas, the western establish-
“Russia fulfilled its quota of revolutions in the ment acts like Pavlov’s dog: you show them a
20th century already. We don't want any more colonel of the intelligence services and they
revolutions,” Putin said. yell, “Sanction him!”; you show them the
The Russian foreign ministry followed up and oligarch paying the colonel, and they yell,
lashed out at the criticism with a long statement “Invite him to Davos!”,” Navalny wrote in his
charging that actions by “Germany and its allies” letter.

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 34 25•August•2021