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The enormous distance at the negotiating table should not necessarily be understood as symbolic of the political differences, because: people talk to each other.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz sat across from Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the long end of the table - like France's President Emmanuel Macron before him.
Reason: Both had refused a Russian PCR test.
At the joint press conference, there were faint signals of rapprochement.
Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor: »The diplomatic possibilities are far from exhausted. The task now is to work resolutely and courageously to resolve the crisis peacefully. In any case, the fact that we are now hearing that individual troops are being withdrawn is a good sign. We hope there will be more to come.«
Putin confirmed the partial withdrawal of his troops on Tuesday, saying his country is by no means interested in a military escalation.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: »Do we want war or not? Of course not. That is why we have proposed a negotiation process. This should lead to an agreement on equal security for all, including our country.«
The Russian President emphasized that the majority of Russians sympathize with the separatists in Donbass and that no solution has yet been found.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: »We must do our best to solve the Donbass problems. As the chancellor says, we have to do that after the half-completed Minsk agreement. We expect our partners overseas and Europe, especially Germany and France, to influence the current government in Kiev. In this way a solution will be found.«
The Chancellor used one of Russia's core demands, the promise that there should be no eastward expansion of NATO, to allude to the long reign of his counterpart.
Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor: »There is the somewhat idiosyncratic situation that it is not pending. It's not on the agenda, everyone knows it very well. This is not an issue that will come up in our offices as long as we hold them. I don't know now how long the President intends to be in office. But I have a feeling it might take longer, but not forever.”
Incidentally, Olaf Scholz was granted access to the Kremlin with a PCR test that a doctor from the German embassy carried out after he landed in Moscow - with a test device brought from Germany.