"Woman - flowers": German media outraged by the bouquet presented by Putin Merkel
Dmitry Kurkin
German newspaper Bild criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, considering the bouquet of roses, presented to them by Angela Merkel before the official visit of the German Chancellor to Russia, a conscious manifestation of sexism. According to the commentator of the publication, "flowers were needed to remind Merkel that she was a woman." The Kremlin, represented by the press secretary Dmitry Peskov, dismissed the accusations, saying that in Russia “it is absolutely normal to give women flowers: both to their work colleagues and vis-à-vis international relations” - and thus, in fact, confirmed the suspicions of journalists. Another question: was Putin really going to humiliate Merkel and "tell a woman her place"?
"World-class female hater"
The suspicion of the German press is explicable: Putin is inclined to negotiate with European leaders from a position of strength. The statement by Hillary Clinton, who called the Russian president "a world-class woman hater," also helped. She cited the example of a meeting in Sochi in 2007, during which Putin, according to her, who knew very well that Merkel was afraid of dogs, released his Labrador Koni. The Russian president later apologized to a colleague, saying that he did not know about the phobia of the Angels: “I, on the contrary, wanted her to do something pleasant when I showed her my dog,” but they didn’t believe the former intelligence officer in Germany.
Bild's claim is also understandable: the official receptions of the first persons of the states assume that they communicate on an equal footing, and in negotiations with Putin, Merkel should be perceived primarily as the German chancellor.
Benevolent sexism
The language of diplomatic gifts is tricky: they can mean both a friendly disposition, and a clever trolling of an opponent or an attempt to humiliate it. However, the explanation of the bouquet that appeared in the residence of Bocharov Ruchey, and so outraged by the author Bild, is much simpler. In the rank of President Putin gives flowers to all women at official meetings.
This was confirmed by the author of the presidential protocol, Vladimir Shevchenko: “Regardless of whether it’s a working meeting or not, the woman is supposed to give a bouquet of flowers. The Chancellor arrived at the residence, and the president naturally met her with flowers.” Shevchenko was the master of ceremonies under the first president of Russia. And during the reign of Boris Yeltsin, when benevolent sexism (including inappropriate hints of gender) was still viewed through the fingers, the bouquet was registered as an indispensable attribute of the summit. Modern diplomatic protocols, as a rule, do not stipulate the delivery of bouquets and recommend checking with the language of flowers, but it differs from country to country.
The language of flowers
A gift bouquet does not always mean terry sexism, and the choice of colors is often of great importance. So, during a recent reception at the White House, Melania Trump presented Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French president, a bouquet of irises, flowers that are considered to be the symbol of France. Macron greeting appreciated.
Until now, few people paid attention to this, but President Putin of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovich and - repeatedly - Angela Merkel received bouquets from Putin. But this time Putin’s entrenched reputation as a person allowing himself sexist remarks (for example, in 2014, responding to the criticism of the same Clinton, he called her a weak person, adding that, in his opinion, weakness is not the worst quality for a woman ), it was enough for Bild to finish the context and meaning of the gift.
As for the long-standing relations between the leaders of Russia and Germany, they are certainly complicated. And the flowers, along with dubious jokes in the negotiations with Merkel, Putin, obviously, stopped getting away with it.
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