Sigmar Gabriel
The new Minister of foreign Affairs of Germany, Sigmar Gabriel, is interested in establishing good relations with Moscow. It is reported TASS citing a statement by the press Secretary of the German foreign Ministry.
“The new Minister is interested in how to maintain relations with Russia on the possibility of a prosperous and good”, — noted the official representative of the foreign Ministry of Germany Martin Schaefer. How exactly is Gabriel going to do it, he said.
Sigmar Gabriel, being economy Minister, was appointed foreign Minister on Friday, January 27. His predecessor Frank-Walter Steinmeier left the foreign office to fully focus on the preparations for the presidential elections, which he goes from “Christian democratic Union” (CDU) and Social democratic party of Germany (SPD).
Gabriel is known for his Pro-Palestinian position: in 2012, he called Israel “a country with an apartheid regime”. He also took a moderate stance on the Ukrainian conflict, urging “to solve the Ukrainian problem, not to force Russia to kneel down” and offering to ease sanctions against Moscow in exchange for cooperation in Syria. He also called on Saudi Arabia to cease support for radical militants.