Sharing the Responsibility'.(International Edition; INTERVIEW)(Interview)

Byline: Michael Levitin

He was chief of staff to Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, the leading voice behind Germany's refusal to fight in Iraq. Now German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is the Social Democratic Party candidate for chancellor in next year's elections, running against the popular Christian Democrat incumbent, Angela Merkel. In his first major interview with the U.S. press, Steinmeier sat down with NEWSWEEK's Michael Levitin to discuss German troop engagements in Afghanistan, Russia's recent aggression, the global financial crisis and how Germany might work alongside the United States. Excerpts:

Levitin: The day after Barack Obama won the U.S. presidency, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to install missiles in Kaliningrad if Washington did not "rethink" its deployment of a NATO missile shield in Eastern Europe. Did Moscow's latest show of aggression shift the dynamic between Russia and Europe? How should you respond--and what should Europe's response be?

Steinmeier: Medvedev's announcement the day after the elections was clearly the wrong signal at the wrong time. We have no illusions about Russia. In the last few years it has often proved itself a difficult partner. The question remains how to deal with this huge country in Europe's immediate neighborhood; having to choose between containment versus engagement, I advocate the latter. We must try to develop relations with Russia that go beyond economic interests and contribute to increased stability and security. After all, it is in our own interest to make sure that a Russia that is looking for its own identity is politically and culturally anchored in the West.

Do you see Germany as a middleman, acting as a buffer between Russia and the rest of Europe--perhaps at the moment even Russia's closest EU ally?

Russia is aware of our uniquely close relationship with the United States. We are firmly embedded in NATO and the EU and thus we don't aspire to play the role of a middleman. Together with our European partners we showed a strong and outspoken response to Russia's role in the conflict in Georgia. I think Europe's united voice no doubt contributed to the military conflict ending. Now the stabilization of the region as a whole has to continue, and for genuine stability we need Russian cooperation. As for energy links between the EU and Russia, the answer depends on which European country you talk to. But in general, Russia depends as much on Europe and America buying its goods as we rely on Russia supplying us with natural gas and oil. As far as Germany is concerned, it is little known in the United States that we have worked successfully for decades to diversify our suppliers of various forms of energy and fuels, with Russia but also Norway and Africa being important suppliers.

You mentioned the conflict in Georgia. Should that country and Ukraine be invited to join NATO?