Interviewed by RT, Frank Elbe, former German Ambassador to Russia, welcomes the Biden-Putin summit as “immensely important, to gradually build a personal relationship” after the “scares that both sides have undoubtedly caused each other.” He noted that both sides have to work hard to improve the relationship which since the mid-1990s has worsened, and to make sure that escalations are avoided and no nuclear weapons used. The return of each side’s ambassador is a good sign—however, Elbe stressed that Europe and Germany have different interests concerning Russia than the US, which has to do with the geographic facts.
“Europe is part of the Eurasian landmass. We depend on good cooperation with Russia and the former states of the Soviet Union... If our American friends do not understand that, we will have big problems in the future,” Elbe said, calling on Europe to show courage to go its own way. The Ukraine policy of the US and the sanctions against Russia do not make sense, they have to be eased, Elbe added, urging an end to the automatism of extending sanctions every six months, with the search for a political solution missing.
