Sochi - After his victory in the war against Georgia, the Kremlin remains on a collision course. The political climate between East and West will be a frosty day by day.
That was on Friday and Chancellor Angela Merkel to feel that hit Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev in a sophisticated state residence in Sochi Botscharwo (hosted the Olympic Winter Games, 2014).
The resort is just 100 kilometers from Abkhazia, alongside South Ossetia, the second breakaway province of Georgia. Humid 30 degrees outside, inside political Ice Age: Medvedev made it unmistakably clear that the boundaries of Georgia, he no longer accept them.
In plain language: South Ossetia and Abkhazia will not return to Georgia. And he left no doubt that Russia will act in the future so if Russian citizens are being attacked.
Merkel called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia and openly criticized that some of the Kremlin's actions in Georgia were disproportionate. However, they believe that, in such a conflict is not just a "guilt".
At the press conference, Medvedev and Merkel gave barely a kind word, then left the room without a handshake. Thus also threatening to cool the German-Russian relations.
For further inflames the crisis, the agreement between Poland and the United States provides to deploy a missile defense system in Poland. It was agreed also military assistance in case of a threat.
The Kremlin sees this as an affront, believes the project is aimed against Russia. Deputy Chief of General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn: "Such targets are destroyed in an emergency first."
Georgian President Saakashvili signed the ceasefire agreement signed yesterday. He raised serious allegations against Europe: It had ignored his cries for help and encourages Russia.
The situation in Georgia remains totally unclear. As before, Russian troops are in the country. Human rights organizations condemn attacks against civilians. Also a German family got in the crossfire. Only with luck, the man (47) and his wife Georgia (37) survived badly injured when their car was fired upon. The two children were unharmed.
