‘FAILED ALLIANCE’: How Germany & Russia’s 1939 military pact broke relations THEN and NOW

Nikolai Pavlov, who made the remarks, is a Professor of History and Politics at a Moscow University and the author of ‘German-Russian relations: a failed alliance’.

During an interview with Sputnik, the professor said the Molotov-Ribbebtrop Pact of 1939 “was not a true alliance”.

The pact was a neutrality agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed in Moscow. 

Mr Pavlov said that despite Russia and Germany having “common routes”, he is doubtful of a strategy partnership between the two countries because of the “big differences in the economy, structure of the state, domestic politics”. 

He said: “There was another alliance between the German Democratic Republic and the USSR after the Second World War.”

However, he said that a similar alliance is not possible today.

He said: “At that time we belonged to a military-political pact, to the Warsaw Treaty.

“Now Germany is party of NATO, and Russia is having a lot of trouble dealing with the Alliance at the moment.

“Germany is trying to speak with Russia as a member of NATO and the EU.

“However, Russia prefers to maintain bilateral relations.”

His comments come as German political parties have said they are committed to having good relations with Russia, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. 

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Moscow last month, which was seen as a key turning point for the two countries. 

He was the first German President to visit Russia since 2010 and was on a mission to restore bilateral relations. 

Mr Pavlov said that the Social Democratic Party of Germany is unlikely to win any elections with Martin Schulz leading the party. 

The author compared Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to the first Chancellor of the country from 1860, Otto von Bismarck. 

He said: “She is a sober and cool politician in Bismarck’s sense, though she does not build alliances like him. 

“She incorporates all the little things into big real-policies of the international arena.”