Russia tops agenda on German foreign minister's Italy trip
January 10, 2022
Germany's top diplomat, Annalena Baerbock, traveled to Rome on Monday, her first visit to Italy as foreign minister.
The Green Party politician met with her Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio to discuss a common European approach to Russia's provocative actions on its border with Ukraine.
The two said their countries want to work more closely in tackling the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
In a forthcoming Germany-Italian action plan, refugee and migration policy will play a central role, the two said.
What was said about Russia?
After her initial talks with Di Maio, Baerbock urged a diplomatic solution and European unity when facing the escalating tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
"One thing is clear: the only way out of the crisis is through dialogue. And it is equally clear that a renewed violation of Ukrainian sovereignty by Russia will have serious consequences," she said.
Baerbock also spoke about the unrest in Kazakhstan, warning that the central Asian country becoming dependent on China or Russia could have consequences for Europe's interests in the region.
In an earlier interview with Italian daily La Stampa, she spoke of Russia potentially using the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as a way to coerce Europe into backing down over Ukraine.
"If Putin uses energy as a weapon, we will act together with our European partners," to counter his threats and ensure EU energy independence, the German foreign minister said.
Where did the two land on migration?
The topic of refugee and migration policy has been a sensitive subject in the past for Italy and Germany — but Di Maio and Baerbock vowed closer cooperation.
The German foreign minister said Berlin and Rome are "on the same side when it comes to issues of refugees and migration."
Specifically, the two agreed that "humanity and orderly structures are needed at the external borders," she added.
Di Maio said that more international engagement is needed to address the issues surrounding migration, which he said was "an effect of destabilization in diverse regions and not only in North Africa."
Refugee and migration policy will play a central role in a German-Italian action plan that the two countries intend on signing later this year, the two tip diplomats said.
What else happened during the trip?
Baerbock and Di Maio also visited a coronavirus vaccination center in Rome where doctors and medical staff have been administering jabs seven days a week since January 2021.
After touring the site, Baerbock said that it was important to her "to come here and learn how Italian achieved such a high level of vaccination."
The two also held a joint discussion on ecological restructuring in Europe at the Institute for International Affairs in the Italian capital.
Baerbock and Di Maio did meet on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers summit in December. Germany currently holds the rotating G7 presidency.
rs, es/rt (AFP, dpa)