Russia is waiting for the European Union (EU) to understand that the EU needs it, while the EU is waiting for Putin to leave and be replaced by someone with whom they can talk, as in the 1990s, stated Alexander Rahr, the scientific director of the German-Russian forum, at a political discussion dedicated to the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Germany, Rosbalt reports.

"I believe that the influence of the Kremlin on the elections and Western policy is very exaggerated. I do not think that the Kremlin and Russia have such levers to manipulate the elections," Rahr said. According to the expert, in 2016 during the presidential elections "in the United States there was a historical upsurge, which later spread to Europe and Germany, but eventually fell silent, because under it nothing was real."

The political scientist believes that "Russia wants to be part of Europe, but cannot enter the European Union, because they hold other values, but Moscow still wants to participate in a big European game."

Someone, says the political scientist, "can interpret this as an attempt to divide Europe, [but] I interpret this as an attempt to work with countries such as Germany, Austria and France that want an energy alliance with Russia, that want to create platforms for discussions on the topic of a common space from Vladivostok to Lisbon. "

Eastern European countries are opposed to this approach, Rahr said, "therefore, we (in the European Union) will continue these conflicts and are all waiting for each other's defeats. Russia expects that the European Union will understand that it [the EU] needs her [Russia], and the EU is waiting for Putin to leave and (to replace him with) someone who they can talk, as in the 1990s. "

  Putin, EU, Russia

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