A Different Approach

Since his exit from the political stage and his new role as supervisory board chairman of the consortium that plans to build a Baltic Sea pipeline from Russia to Germany, former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has become something of a lobbyist. He seems to be inspired by his mission. Some people even suspect his consistent praise for Russia's policies has become something of a replacement for his politics drug.

In a Berlin hotel recently, Schröder once more gave a packed house a taste of his stance. But in the meantime his strident defense of Russia causes a rather bad aftertaste. It's an embarrassment when a former chancellor is said to behave like the Russian president's spokesman. It's an embarrassment when Schröder patronizingly charges that public discussion of Russia here in Germany is "marked by anti-Russia reflexes."

Of course Schröder can call for closer German-Russian cooperation. It's certainly legitimate to defend energy exporter Russia when it's accused of hypocrisy or becomes the subject of unfair criticism: Criticizing Russia while assiduously overlooking the political situation in other oil states, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Libya or Algeria is reckless.

And no one seriously denies Moscow's right to demand market prices for energy from its onetime allies either.

Sure enough, for Schröder, Russia's questionable actions in the most recent natural gas and oil disputes aren't an issue. Why doesn't "Gerd" recommend more sovereignty in foreign and economic policy matters to his dear friend "Volodya"? Why doesn't he warn him of behavior that brings Russia a massive loss in esteem and only feeds skepticism toward greater energy dependency? It's an embarrassment when friendship on the political stage is confused with one-sided partisanship.

It's downright improper to willfully and deliberately ignore other aspects. For supervisory board head Schröder, issues of democracy, civil society, human rights, the murders of journalists and other Kremlin critics and the lack of rule of law are all negligible and hardly worth mentioning. It's no wonder then that he gets top marks from the Russian side; The Kremlin could hardly hope for a better -- and such a prominent -- propagandist.

It must be a nuisance to Chancellor Angela Merkel, who travels to Sochi on Sunday. As president of the EU Council, she is striving for a pragmatic, a good relationship to Russia. In contrast to her predecessor, she addresses problems in bilateral relations and beyond.

That's why in Sochi she will again tell President Vladimir Putin that the recent unannounced Russian halt to gas deliveries via Belarus annoyed the EU and has nothing to do with normal business behavior. Merkel will once more demand Moscow be reliable. She will remind him of the not yet negotiated partnership deal between the European Union and Russia. She will stress how important Russia is -- also for the resolution of international conflicts.

Merkel apparently doesn't think much of absolution: Calling Putin a "flawless democrat," as Schröder did during his chancellorship, is something she still won't do. The Russian president is, after all, far from passing the test.

Cornelia Rabitz is the head of DW-RADIO's Russian service (ncy)