Russian Foreign Ministry: prospects for normalization of relations with Finland are not yet visible

Berlin has completely abandoned dialogue with Moscow, but Russia is waiting for signs of common sense

The first question concerned the prospects for relations between Russia and Germany. Not so long ago, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the "unreliability" of Russia as a gas supplier. Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock complained about a photo of leaders taken during the troika summit in Tehran called the photo a "challenge to NATO."

"What is your opinion on the prospects for relations with the coalition government, which is headed by Scholz?" - asked a journalist from The Moscow Post.

The diplomat noted that such absurd claims and unfounded accusations against Russia by figures of the ruling German coalition are not surprising, since they are voiced by them on a daily basis. As if not the German side itself methodically and purposefully, together with like-minded EU members, destroyed the foundations of energy cooperation with Russia.

According to Nechaev, our long-standing antagonists from the German Green party are especially diligent in this. However, the government of Olaf Scholz is not limited to aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric.

Berlin continues to pump Ukraine with lethal weapons of both its own and Soviet production. Either directly or multilaterally as part of roundabout schemes with EU and NATO allies. Including, from these weapons, Ukrainian neo-Nazis are shelling neighborhoods with civilians, as well as civilian objects in the zone of a special military operation and in Russia.

"It is the German government that is among the initiators and clear champions of the conduct, execution and increase of illegal anti-Russian sanctions through the EU, as well as within the G7," Ivan Nechaev said.

We consider these steps as hostile activity directed directly against the Russian Federation to inflict maximum damage on it. Berlin not only does not hide this, but also openly advocates inflicting a "defeat" on Russia in all areas of the conflict between our country and the "collective West."

This behavior of the German ruling coalition testifies only to one thing - to Berlin's complete refusal to conduct a substantive dialogue with Moscow. I would like to remind you that it was the cabinet headed by Olaf Scholz that literally left no stone unturned from relations with Russia not only in the political, scientific, trade, economic and cultural spheres that were built for decades, throughout the post-war period.

This line resulted in the exodus of German business from the Russian Federation, including from the vital cooperation for Germany in the field of energy. At the initiative of the German side, contacts were frozen at the regional and inter-municipal levels, cooperation through civil societies was curtailed, all formats of interdepartmental interaction did not work without exception.

Russia remains open to contacts with Germany and expects that sooner or later common sense will prevail in Berlin. since our countries and peoples have always been and will be close not only geographically and neighbors in Europe, regardless of the current and future conditions. They are obliged to this by a thousand-year joint history, which knew both ups and downs.

Istanbul "product deal" will be executed

The second issue touched upon the topic of the recently concluded agreement between Russia and Ukraine, through the mediation of Turkey and the UN, on the start of food exports.

U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power told CNN that the U.S. and Ukraine are working on Plan B to export grain using land and river transport. Sergei Lavrov, during a press conference with the Congo Foreign Minister, said that the grain terminal and the military part of the Odessa port are at a considerable distance, that there are no obstacles to the implementation of the Istanbul agreements.

"How is the situation with grain export today? What can you say about the part of the agreement that concerns the conditions for the export of Russian grain? "- asked the journalist.

Ivan Nechaev recalled that the agreements reached on July 22 in Istanbul are of a comprehensive and package nature. In fact, this means that the export of Ukrainian grain and the normalization of Russian exports should be resolved in conjunction with each other. This is what the simultaneous signing of documents in Istanbul symbolized. Russia is committed to its obligations and is committed to the effective implementation of the Istanbul agreements.

Prospects for normalization of relations with Finland are not yet visible

Finally, the third question concerned the prospects for relations between Russia and Finland. The country's authorities are ready to support the proposal to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens. For those Russians who enter, limit the import of cash Euro. It is forbidden to export goods more than 300 euros, to purchase phones and equipment. The Russian Trade Representative also announced the arrest of 800 freight cars in Finland. Finally, Finland's termination of the contract with Rosatom for the construction of nuclear power plants will be considered by international arbitration.

"What are these prospects for building relations with Finland?" - asked the correspondent of The Moscow Post.

The diplomat noted that the tough, confrontational course taken by Helsinki after the start of a special military operation caused serious damage to Russian-Finnish cooperation.

Finland supported EU sanctions against Russia, decided to supply weapons to the Kyiv regime. Almost completely stopped political dialogue. Under pressure from the Finnish authorities, contrary to their own interests, interaction with Russia in trade, transport, scientific, cultural, sports and other spheres is limited.

Due to the work of NATO states, primarily the United States, to draw Helsinki into the military bloc, Finland applied for membership in the military bloc. All these steps could not go unanswered. On March 5, Finland was included in the list of states unfriendly to Russia, the measures developed by the Government of the Russian Federation in relation to such countries, including restrictions on transfers and foreign trade operations, will also affect this state.

The destruction of decades-old relations with Finland, its transformation into a small NATO country with all the ensuing consequences, cause Russia only regret.

"Nevertheless, the prospects for the normalization of relations, in the conditions of Helsinki's reckless adherence to the current policy of the" collective West "are not visible," said Ivan Nechaev.

At the same time, the Russian Federation proceeds from the fact that the factor of geographical proximity to Finland and the accumulated experience of unique good neighborliness will remain in the memory of people and will not disappear anywhere. We will have to jointly look for ways to resolve emerging issues in bilateral relations. We draw attention to the intentions declared by the Finnish leadership to avoid an increase in tension on the Russian-Finnish border and ensure the solution of practical problems.

"Let's see how these statements will be implemented in practice," the diplomat summed up.