Putin-Merkel Talks Unlikely To Shift Bilateral Ties But Minor Agreements Possible - AfD

The upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will unlikely pave the way for normalization of bilateral relations and minor agreements are likely to be reached, Dr. Roland Hartwig, vice-chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, told Sputnik on Friday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) The upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will unlikely pave the way for normalization of bilateral relations and minor agreements are likely to be reached, Dr. Roland Hartwig, vice-chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, told Sputnik on Friday.

On Saturday Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. The two leaders are set to discuss the Syrian and Ukrainian crises, as well as bilateral cooperation issues and economic pressure coming from the United States.

"I do not expect any material results from the Merkel-Putin meeting on Saturday. Some minor agreements or understandings may be reached as an outcome enabling Mrs. Merkel to speak of a successful meeting, but no major breakthrough � I do not think that this meeting could pave the way for normalization of German-Russian ties", Dr. Hartwig said.

According to the lawmaker, Merkel is currently acting more as a spokesperson in favor of maintaining sanctions against Russia despite all criticism by the German business community and by the AfD party.

He added that the German chancellor has shown already several times her unwillingness to admit any mistakes committed by the government.

Commenting on Putins intention to attend the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, also on Saturday and just before the meeting with Merkel, Dr. Hartwig called it a symbol of normalization of relations with Austria.

"President Putin's attendance at the wedding of the Austrian foreign minister is a good symbol of normalization which is clearly not in Mrs. Merkel's interest. Therefore I would expect Mrs. Merkel to completely ignore that nice event," Dr. Hartwig added.

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. The United States, the European Union and some of their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russian sanctions after Crimea's reunification with Russia and Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia refuted all the accusations and introduced restrictions against the states that targeted Moscow with sanctions.