Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in an interview with the Handelsblatt newspaper criticized attempts to conduct a policy towards Russia through sanctions pressure.
“Sanctions have never worked against Russia. We know from our own history that whenever we had good relations with Russia, there was peace on this continent. When it was different, there was no peace”, – said the ex-chancellor of Germany.
He also noted that the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline is in the interests of Germany and Europe, and it is wrong to “link it with any other issues”.
“Nord Stream-2 serves our interests. Even during the Soviet era, gas and oil supplies were punctually carried out. We have never had problems with deliveries from Russia, and Russia has problems with us when paying. Why should something change here?” – Schroeder concluded.
According to Russian senator Alexei Pushkov, despite the statements of the former German chancellor, most of the European political class “is seized by the desire to impose its demands on Russia”, as it sees in this “the guarantee of the political success of the Euro-Atlantic alliance”.