Gregor Gysi

BELGRADE - The West has made serious mistakes when it comes to Russia, repeatedly refusing to take into account Russia's interests, says German politician Gregor Gysi.

The former leader of the Left in Germany's parliament spoke for the daily Die Welt, Sputnik in Serbian is reporting.

All eyes are on Wednesday’s debate in the German parliament on the 3rd Greek bailout plan worth 86bln Euros via the ESM. The discussion commenced at 10 in the morning and is expected to pass, but the interest will be focused on how many dissenters in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party will vote against the party line.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble expressed his satisfaction over Greece’s determination to implement reforms, in an interview to Sunday’s Bild. “The Greek government has understood that the country cannot avoid deep reforms”, he underlined.

German lawmakers are expected to give Berlin a clear green light on Friday to start negotiations on a third bailout programme for Greece, despite Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble questioning whether it will succeed.

Top Die Linke MP Gregor Gysi of has accused the German government of deliberately seeking to remove Greece’s Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government, speaking in the Bundestag n Wednesday.

The German lawmaker defended the timing of the referendum called by Greek PM Alexis Tsipras, saying he “had no other choice,” after what he said was an ultimatum presented by the lenders.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier dismissed on April 12 calls from the radical Left party to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to this year's summit of the Group of Seven industrial powers.
   

The feeling that there has been a thaw in the frosty relations between Greece and Germany was strengthened on Tuesday when Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras rounded off his trip to Berlin by holding meetings with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and the leaders of two opposition parties.

BERLIN - Gregor Gysi, leader of the socialist left-wing political party The Left, said in the Bundestag on Thursday that NATO and the EU are partially responsible for the current situation in Ukraine because of the policy they pursued in previous years.