"Hundreds of Russian businessmen are expected to come to the town of Rostock. Two years ago the regional government held the Day of Russian businessmen to maintain economic ties between Germany and Russia. At the time, the event came under criticism due to the Ukrainian crisis," according to the article.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has traditionally held close ties with Russia, Minister-President Erwin Sellering said.
"We will develop these ties. Our federal economics minister [Gabriel] will support us," he said.
Gabriel has repeatedly called for the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions and normalizing ties with Moscow. He noted that Russia plays an important role in the global fight against terrorism.
"I think the period of frosty relations with Russia should end," the politician said in a recent interview with Bild am Sonntag newspaper. He added that the decision to exclude Russia from the G8 group was short-sighted.
"Of course, the Russian Federation must first adhere to the Minsk deal in resolving the Ukraine crisis. In the long term, it makes no sense to ask [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to resolve the conflict, and at the same time to exclude him from the G8," the politician underscored.
The initiative has been labelled controversial in the EU and has divided the bloc. However, the German government, including personally Chancellor Merkel, has reaffirmed interest its in Nord Stream-2.
"The Nord Stream 2 is in Germany's interest; in this regard I agree with the Chancellor," Gabriel said in December, adding that the project is also of a great importance for France and other EU countries.
Moscow is "looking for constructive solutions," he added. He also stressed that the EU should abandon its "demonstrative fights" and follow Moscow's example.
