Russia's actions come with price tag – Germany’s foreign minister

05.01.2022 14:04

Ukrinform

Discussions of a common line between the United States, Germany, and the EU in general on Russia are among top agenda issues during German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to the United States on January 5.

The diplomat noted this before the start of her first working trip to Washington, Ukrinform reports.

"[T]he strength of the transatlantic alliance cannot be measured in terms of tanks and missiles, but first and foremost by how well we pull together when it comes to the crunch – when we are called to defend basic tenets of international law and have to stand up for our common values. We are determined to work together to protect the peaceful European order, "Baerbock said.

She noted that the joint message of Europeans and the U.S. administration regarding Russia is unmistakable: "Russia’s activities come with a clear price tag, the only way out of the crisis is via dialogue. We have repeatedly emphasized this to the Russian Government in no uncertain terms over the past days and weeks. Now we are entering a crucial phase, in which key talks are planned at different levels. And even though the discussion formats may vary, our messages as transatlantic partners to the government in Moscow are always the same,” said Germany’s top diplomat.

She stressed the importance of transatlantic ties and the fact that “the more difficult the times we live in, the more important strong partnerships are,” and Europeans have no stronger partner than the United States.

This applies not only to current political and security issues, but also to the economy and global issues such as tackling the climate crisis.

Baerbock added that many issues had already been discussed with her U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken at the G7 summit in Liverpool late last year. She also noted that the partners in the EU and the G7 are united by the goal of strengthening democracies and making them more resilient to internal and external threats.

The program of Baerbock’s one-day visit, which is taking place the day before the first anniversary of the Capitol attack, also includes a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Among the topics of discussion is Germany's presidency in the G7 this year.