Doors sealed shut as Merkel receives Gorbachev

At this weekend's anniversary commemoration in the capital, Gorbachev made headlines with strong criticism of the West, warning that a new form of "Cold War" was commencing over the Ukraine crisis. A day later, he was meeting with the German chancellor behind doors, with no photographers or journalists invited afterward to hear what the two had discussed.

"It's quite possible they will have talked about the situation in Ukraine," Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said after the two had met. "Differences possibly exist with regard to how the two assess this matter."

The 83-year-old Gorbachev is credited with playing an integral role in opening up the German Democratic Republic, i.e., Communist East Germany, to its western neighbor, the Federal Republic of West Germany, 25 years ago. And Seibert redoubled Merkel's - and the German government's - overt praise of Gorbachev's contribution.

"We in Germany will never forget his services in the era of Glasnost and Perestroika, his services in ending the Cold War, which allowed our nation to be reunited in peace," Seibert said.

New Cold War?

Gorbachev's comments over the weekend, and his announcement that he would be meeting with Merkel as a quasi-representative for Russian President Vladimir Putin, have the German chancellor in a tricky situation.

For, Merkel - who grew up in former Communist East Germany - has supported EU-backed sanctions against Russia. These have strained relations between Berlin and Moscow to the extent that Gorbachev spoke over the weekend of a new, impending form of "Cold War."

"The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some are even saying that it's already begun," he said, calling for a new round of dialogue between leading European nations and Russia. Past German chancellors Gerhard Schröder, Helmut Schmidt, and Gorbachev's counterpart Helmut Kohl have also called on NATO countries to place more emphasis on negotiating with Moscow.

Merkel has made it clear in her assertions regarding Ukraine that Germany won't tolerate "Russian aggression," beseeching the Kremlin, which it sees as the only nation able to do so, to bring a peaceful end to the conflict.

Monday's meeting comes as the situation in eastern Ukraine remains precarious, following reports from Kyiv and Donetsk that an armored Russian convoy including 32 tanks and military vehicles armed with howitzers entered Ukrainian territory late last week Sunday.

The Russian defense ministry has rejected those reports, calling them a "provocation."

At this weekend's celebration, Gorbachev said it was "high time" for an end to such behavior.

"Now is not the time for reciprocal blame. Let us work together to rebuild confidence."

glb/msh (AFP, dpa)