How Putin Lost Berlin. Moscow’s annexation of Crimea has transformed Germany’s Russia policy

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Series Details 29.09.14
Publication Date 29/09/2014
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The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) is Germany’s network for foreign policy. As an independent, non-partisan, and nonprofit membership organization, think tank, and publisher the DGAP has been promoting public debate on foreign policy in Germany for over 50 years.

The DGAP publishes the foreign policy magazine IP. The IP appears in German as a bimonthly print magazine and in English as an online magazine for German and European foreign policy.

IP Journal is the source for a German perspective on important foreign affairs issues, as well as in-depth analysis on central questions of German and European foreign policy from renowned authors and experts in and outside of Germany.Relations with Russia have always been particularly significant for Germany. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, various German governments have attempted to maintain close contact with Moscow. However, Russian actions in Ukraine during the first three months of 2014 in Crimea caused a decisive break.

By the autumn of 2014 a political solution was more distant than ever in the Russia conflict, with the German government and EU having exhausted their diplomatic options. A rift may now be growing between Chancellor Merkel and her foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier over Berlin's tough stance against Moscow.

They are united in their assessment of Russia's actions, but their views were seen to differ on the best way to face the Russians in the coming months.

Source Link https://ip-journal.dgap.org/en/ip-journal/topics/how-putin-lost-berlin
Related Links
EurActiv, 25.11.14: Merkel hits diplomatic dead-end with Putin http://www.euractiv.com/sections/trade-society/merkel-hits-diplomatic-dead-end-putin-310320
ESO: Background information: Putin's Reach: Merkel Concerned about Russian Influence in the Balkans http://www.europeansources.info/record/putins-reach-merkel-concerned-about-russian-influence-in-the-balkans/
Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 20.11.14: Steinmeier seeks dialogue with Moscow http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER154004-Steinmeier-seeks-dialogue-with-Moscow
Spiegel Online International, 25.11.14: Relations at Rock Bottom: Cracks Form in Berlin Over Russia Stance http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/german-government-shows-faults-in-stance-on-russia-a-1004754.html
Spiegel Online International, 25.11.14: German Foreign Minister: 'Crimea Will Remain a Source of Conflict' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/german-foreign-minister-steinmeier-on-russia-and-ukraine-a-1004891.html
Deutsche Welle, 26.11.14: Germany's Social Democrats and its 'Russia sympathizers' http://dw.de/p/1DtgQ
Sputnik International, 27.11.14: Merkel Abandons Germany's Pro-Russian 'Ostpolitik' Course http://sputniknews.com/analysis/20141127/1015248879.html
ESO: Background information: Russia orders out Polish and German diplomats in tit-for-tat expulsions http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-orders-out-polish-and-german-diplomats-in-tit-for-tat-expulsions/
openDemocracy: oDR, 24.11.14: Germany and the disinformation politics of the Ukraine crisis https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/andriy-portnov/germany-and-disinformation-politics-of-ukraine-crisis

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