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Normalization between Russia, Germany to depend on Putin-Trump talks — opinion

According to Erich Vad, energy cooperation between his country and Russia, in particular, the use of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will also depend on the results of the Putin-Trump meeting

BERLIN, August 8. /TASS/. A potential normalization of relations between Russia and Germany will depend on the outcome of the upcoming talks between the Russian and US presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, retired Brigadier General Erich Vad, a former military adviser to Germany’s ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, told TASS.

"Everything will depend on what the talks between Trump and Putin end in. It would be desirable if German-Russian relations could gradually normalize," he said when asked if the German government could lift at least part of the anti-Russian sanctions and resume economic cooperation with Russia.

According to Vad, energy cooperation between his country and Russia, in particular, the use of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will also depend on the results of the Putin-Trump meeting.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said on August 7 that Moscow and Washington had brokered an agreement for holding a meeting between the two leaders in the next few days. While a summit could take place next week, the exact date will be set once the arrangements are made.

A potential summit was announced following a visit by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow where he was received by Putin for nearly three-hour-long talks on August 6.