Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Russia's President Vladimir Putin have promoted new trust between two countries. At a meeting with Putin in Moscow, Steinmeier said that he was "convinced that we must oppose estrangement that has grown in recent years between our two countries." As federal president, he wants to make his contribution, despite "open wounds", one must find ways out of "negative spiral". It is about more predictability and " reconstruction of a minimum of trust". Putin was optimistic: "We have found that, despite known political difficulties, German-Russian relations are not on spot."

It was first visit of a German federal president in Russia for seven years. The relationship between Germany and its eastern neighbour has been heavily polluted by Russia since beginning of Ukraine-and of international illegal annexation of Crimean peninsula. Russia is also suspected of wanting to undermine western democracies with disinformation campaigns. Steinmeier refore also stressed in Moscow that German-Russian relations were far from normality. That is also why coming of German president was officially only announced as a short working visit and not as a state visit. The two politicians sat toger for about three hours at a dinner.

Putin subsequently said that he had also discussed Ukraine conflict with Steinmeier and talked about Russia's proposal for a un-blue helmet mission. He and Steinmeier would have agreed that only implementation of Minsk peace plan could resolve conflict, Putin said.

The Russian president also announced that German economy was ready to expand its commitment to Russian market. Germany remains one of leading trading partners. Between January and July, bilateral exchange of goods increased by 25 percent compared to same period last year, said Putin. 2016, trading volume shrank by 11 per cent compared to 2015. Steinmeier was surprised by detailed admission of his interlocutor to economic issues. The EU had imposed sanctions on Russia because of Ukraine crisis.

MOSCOW-Steinmeier meets Putin federal president Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. It is first Russian trip of a German head of state for seven years. © Photo: Yuri Kochetkov/dpa reconciliation about a cadral

The actual occasion for Steinmeier's Moscow trip was return of Moscow Cadral of St. Peter and Paul to Evangelical Luran Church in Russia. At ceremony in morning, President of Confederation thanked Putin for "beautiful gesture in year of Reformation Jubilee". He wants church to be a place of encounter between Orthodox and Lurans as well as between Germans and Russians. This could create a place that shows "that differences in search for commonalities do not have to stand in way".

The Evangelical Luran congregation had been expropriated in 1938 during dictatorship of Josef Stalin. It was only after end of Soviet Union that Evangelical Church was allowed to reuse building of 1992. Neverless, it remained a State property. Steinmeier had still used his function as foreign minister for return.

Meeting with human rights learners

On Wednesday morning, Steinmeier also met Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. "He has once again given me way: The only thing that helps is to talk about – even about what is difficult," Steinmeier said afterwards.

The federal president also met representatives of Organization Memorial in Moscow. The group is committed to victims of Stalinism and denounces current human rights violations. All employees and supporters of memorial fees "Thanks and appreciation," said Steinmeier. The federal president was concerned about controversial NGO Act, with which Russia, supported by foreign non-governmental organisations, is classified as "foreign agents". Memorial is also affected by 2012 law that entered into force.

The federal president also strengned his back in Moscow with Russian director Kirill., who has been under house arrest since August. Steinmeier spoke case in conversation with Putin under four eyes. The 48-year-old is one of most famous Russian directors. The director of Moscow Gogol Theatre is accused of misappropriation of state subsidies of 68 million rubles (almost one million euros). . denies this.

Date Of Update: 26 October 2017, 12:02