Clinics and doctors in Russia are completely overburdened because of the pandemic.
(Photo: imago images / SNA)
It’s a harassment: In Russia, foreigners now have to undergo regular x-rays, blood draws and other tests to rule out tuberculosis, syphilis, an HIV virus or drugs.
How this should happen across the board between the Baltic Sea and the Pacific in the face of a health system that is miserable over long stretches remains a mystery. Clinics and doctors are already completely overloaded because of the pandemic.
In the end, it should be solved the same way as is so often the case in Russia: For a decent amount of money, the required receipts can be stamped. In this respect, the federal government, the EU Commission and the US government could tick the case off. According to the motto: The smarter gives in.
Still, a backlash is appropriate. Russians who stay in Europe or America for more than 90 days should also be forced to take such tests. Because the Kremlin is no longer willing to work together sensibly.
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Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s answer to the Berlin court ruling, which had clearly established the murder of a Georgian in the Tiergarten on behalf of the Russian government, was already too weak. Baerbock only had two Russian diplomats deported.
No interest in de-escalation
Moscow, on the other hand, did not even accept this small reaction and, in turn, expelled two German diplomats. And because of the shutdown of the program of the state-owned Russian propaganda broadcaster RT, which was broadcast without an EU license, the Russian ambassador in Berlin announced that sanctions would now be imposed on German media workers in Russia.
Moscow is evidently not interested in de-escalating the conflict with the West – and there is no doubt that bilateral relations have hit rock bottom, mainly because of Ukraine. An improvement in relations would only be conceivable if there were progress at the Ukraine summit between Putin and US President Biden. That is not to be expected.
The West has often given in to Moscow, and Germany in particular has advocated a conciliatory course. In Putin’s Russia, however, understanding and courtesy are not rewarded, but interpreted as a weakness of the opponent. Now the other way has to be taken.
More: Why Russia’s Ukraine course could hit its own economy hard