Putin hopes for restored relationship with Germany
On March 22, at a meeting with BASF CEO Kurt Bock, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia still hopes to restore relations with Germany.
"We have not lost hope that we will be able to restore full-format cooperation," the President said.
He also noted that the latest developments in the economic sphere had a negative impact on the volumes of mutual trade. Putin said that according to the Eastern Committee of German economy, at least 150,000 Germans lost their jobs as a result of the reduced trade.
Recently, former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier officially assumed the office of President of Germany in an inauguration ceremony in the Reichstag’s plenary hall. In contrast to his predecessor, Steinmeier is willing to visit Russia and intends to re-establish relations with Moscow.