Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said that a country like Russia cannot be isolated in the long-term, either politically or economically.
"German industry needs the raw materials that Russia has", Schroeder told The New York Times. "It’s not just oil and gas, it’s also rare earths. And these are raw materials that cannot simply be substituted".
The ex-chancellor also suggested that when the current crisis in Ukraine is over, "we will have to go back to dealing with Russia".
"We always do”, he added.
The newspaper also notes that Schroeder "holds to his unwavering belief that peace and prosperity in Germany and Europe will always depend on dialogue with Russia".