Merkel recalls her relationships with Trump and Putin in her memoirs

The chancellor of Germany between 2005 and 2021, Angela Merkel will publish a book of memories in which he touches on everything from what his youth was like in communist East Germany to what the moments he shared with different international leaders were like.

Writing is titled Liberty: Memoirs (1954-2021) and will be released this Tuesday, November 26.

However, the German weekly, Time had early access to some extracts .

In these situations are reported such as a meeting he had with Donald Trump in 2017, when the now-elected president of USA she had her first period at the White House.

Likewise, Merkel talks about how it was a meeting he had with the current president of Russia , Vladimir Putin in 2007.

In this case, and to his great surprise, the Russian leader brought a big black labrador, even though she was afraid of dogs due to an attack he suffered on a dog in the 90s.

Liberty: memoirs (1954-2021) brings together approximately 800 pages in which Merkel reveals everything from aspects of her intimate life to her tenure as chancellor of one of the most powerful powers in Europe.

In addition, it analyzes aspects more related to current events, such as the prelude to the invasion of Russia Ukraine which has been extended by more than two and a half years since February 24, 2022.

Shortly after Trump took office in January 2017, the then German chancellor visited Washington to meet him.

When they met, They were both sitting on chairs placed next to each other. while photographers captured the moment and journalists were in the room.

Merkel says in her book that at one point, Photographers began demanding a “handshake.” .

However, he says, Trump ignored her insistence .

Faced with this situation, she commented to him in a low voice: ““They want a handshake.” .

“As soon as I said it, I mentally shook my head… How could I forget that Trump knew exactly the effect he wanted to achieve?” recalls the then chancellor in her memoirs.

Merkel declares in the pages of her book that I wanted Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris to win the election which ultimately gave Trump the winner in 2016 and 2024, respectively.

Concerning Trump, he assures that “He judged everything from the point of view of the real estate developer he had been before entering politics.” .

He also says that at that March 2017 meeting, felt the Republican Party standard-bearer wanted to be liked .

Despite everything, he specifies that “we speak at two different levels” .

“Trump on the emotional level, me on the factual level” he emphasizes in his memoirs.

And it goes further in the fact that, unlike her, He does not share his belief that cooperation between countries can benefit everyone. .

“I believed that all countries were in competition with each other and that one’s success was another’s failure” said Merkel.

Under this line he states that Trump “did not believe that everyone’s prosperity could be increased through cooperation” .

Merkel describes Putin as “someone who was always on guard to avoid being mistreated and always ready to inflict punishment, including power plays with a dog and making others wait” .

With the latter he referred to his visit to Sochi, Russia, in January 2007 .

During their diplomatic meeting, Putin tried to intimidate him by bringing his dog, Koni, a large black Labrador. .

In the middle of an uncomfortable scenario in which the dog came to smell her, Merkel remained motionless sitting in a chair next to him.

“From Putin’s expression, I interpreted that he appreciated the situation so I asked myself, “Do you just want to see how someone in trouble reacts?” Is this a little show of power?’ “, we read in his book.

He adds in his memoirs that “when it was all over, I said nothing to Putin, but as I have often done in my life, I followed the rule of the English nobility: “Never complain, never explain” “.

Concerning his description of himself, he says that “It may all seem childish, reprehensible and you might shake your head.” .

He adds, however, that “It didn’t make Russia disappear from the map” .

In fact, Merkel emphasizes that The country, “with its nuclear arsenal”, continues to be “an indispensable geopolitical factor” .

In his book, Merkel also explains what the NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania was like in April 2008.

According to the rescues New York Times in this case Then-US President George Bush went against the advice of his own intelligence community and supported an alliance between Ukraine and Georgia. .

The initiative was called the Membership Action Plan and Merkel and other European leaders have expressed their opposition .

They argued that This would contribute to an aggressive response from Russia. .

Finally, it was concluded that These countries would become members of NATO, but without a clear path or date s.

In response, Russia started a war in Georgia in August of that year and has obstructed Ukraine’s entry into NATO ever since. until today.

The German Chancellor at the time wrote in her book that failed to find a way to protect Ukraine or Georgia in the period between the Accession Action Plan and actual membership .

According to Merkel, It would be “an illusion” to suppose that an action plan status “would have protected them”. of Putin’s aggression.

I also wonder what could have happened in this situation both internationally and in Germany.

Merkel’s memoirs were written with his collaborator Beate Baumann according to the rescue The country .

“During my 35 years of living in the GDR, I missed freedom, but my parents gave it to me within the family. By writing this book, I was able to return to this time when there were no freedoms within the State. “, said the former German chancellor in an interview with the aforementioned media.