German-Russian relations

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Russo-German relations

██ Germany	██ Russia

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German-Russian relations have a long history.

Since the end of the cold war, Germany and Russia rebuilt their "Strategic Partnership" which bonded the two countries for many centuries. The founding of Saint Petersburg is testimony for a rich exchange.

However, current political issues like the democratization of Russian society, characterize a relationship with many open questions.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early Russia 1.2 Russian Empire 1.3 Russian Revolutions 1.4 Soviet Union 2 Germans in Russia 3 Russians in Germany 4 Current Issues 4.1 Co-operations 4.2 Tensions 5 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Early Russia

[edit] Russian Empire

First the German Sates and later Prussia and the German Empire all hold excellent relations to the Imperial Russian Empire. Catherine the Great is an example on how the countries shared history.

[edit] Russian Revolutions

Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin

World War I

World War II

[edit] Soviet Union

GDR and the Cold war

[edit] Germans in Russia

see also Volga Germans

The main aim of the German government's policy on ethnic German Russians is to encourage them to stay in Russia.

[edit] Russians in Germany

Since German reunification Berlin is home to a fast growing Russian community.

[edit] Current Issues

Germany has a strong interest in integrating the Russian Federation into the European and global economy and supports the process of democatic transition in Russia.

Germany's and Russia's economic strengths and interests complement each other which make a cooperation between the two countries very logical. However political disparities eventually overshadow an even closer relation.

[edit] Co-operations

• Germany and Russia have frequent exchange of visits on the political, economic and cultural agenda. Russia regards Germany as its leading European partner, and is surely its largest and most important trading partner.

• many former East Germans have a good knowledge about Russia. And German language is in a firm second place (behind English) at Russian schools. On 11 April 2005, a "Joint Declaration on a Strategic Partnership in Education, Research and Innovation" was signed by Chancellor Schröder and President Putin. This accord aims at stepping up bilateral cooperation in the education sector, particularly in training specialist and executive personnel.

• Germany has a heavy industry with the size and capacity to modernize infrastructure in Russia. Russia in turn has vast natural resources which are of significant interest to the German economy.
• A major success in environment policy is Russia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on 27 October 2004, which will also bring economic benefits.

• Germany was a strong supporter for Russia's participation in the Group of 8.

• Dresdner Bank of Germany has close ties to Gazprom, by far Russia's largest industrial company.

[edit] Tensions

• The First Chechen War and Second Chechen War
• Freedom of the press in Russia
• Kaliningrad
• Construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline underneath the Baltic Sea directly connecting the two countries will start in 2008. The project is causing tensions with neighboring countries.

[edit] External links

• Petersberger Dialogue (in German and Russian only)
• Bergedorfer Round Table