Putin: Germany suffers most from "frozen" relations with Russia

(Patria) - The "frozen" state of relations between Russia and Germany benefits neither country, but Germany is the one suffering the most here, said Russian President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony accepting new foreign ambassadors, TASS reported.

"Currently, the 'frozen' state of relations with Russia, and not at our initiative, I want to emphasize this, is not beneficial, it is not beneficial to us or to you. But above all, in my opinion, to Germany," Putin said.

Putin said that Russia and Germany had developed "pragmatic, business cooperation" for more than half a century.

"This benefited both countries, and perhaps not only us, but the entire European continent. Namely, energy has always been an attractive area of bilateral cooperation. For decades, our country has been supplying Germany with environmentally friendly gas fuel, oil and other energy sources and other raw materials reliably, without interruption, at affordable, reasonable prices. And this cooperation has been literally destroyed, including by the sabotage on the Nord Streams," Putin said.

Nord Stream AG, the pipeline operator, reported on September 27, 2022, "unprecedented destruction" that occurred "on three strings of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipelines".
Putin also said that, in addition to political and economic ties, the relations between Russia and Germany, which had previously developed successfully in the scientific, educational, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as ties between the peoples of the two countries, have been severed.

"Russia, I want to emphasize, has always advocated for building Russian-German relations on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect for each other's interests. I repeat: such relations are important not only for the two countries, but for the whole of Europe," Putin concluded.