Stance on Russia, China a test for new German government

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Germany has found itself facing a series of challenges in its relations with Russia and China since taking office last month that are testing the new government’s foreign policy mettle. Among them are Moscow’s military build-up near Ukraine and the diplomatic fallout from a court verdict finding that the Russian government was behind the 2019 killing of a Chechen dissident. China’s pressure on a fellow European Union member has also prompted Germany to take sides against one of its biggest trading partners. The issues came to the fore during a visit Germany’s foreign minister made Wednesday to Washington. But amid the show of unity differences have emerged with its close trans-Atlantic ally and within the German government itself.