Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) emphasized the importance of quick decisions on arms deliveries for Ukraine. “It’s a tightrope walk. Time also plays an important role in saving lives, ”said the Green politician to the Tagesspiegel.
The foreign minister explained that these were “difficult decisions”: “It’s not about toys, it’s about heavy war material.” It is therefore important “to carefully weigh things up again and again.”
At the same time, however, it must also be considered “what happens if Ukraine cannot defend itself”. Then cities like Kharkiv would be besieged and shot at again, entire villages would be razed to the ground and women, children and grandparents would have to flee their homes.
We may have different offices and may differ as individuals, but we are completely in agreement on our goal.
foreign minister Annalena Bärbock (Greens) about her relationship with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).
Baerbock denied fundamental differences with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in the struggle for the delivery of German battle tanks to Ukraine. “We have different offices and maybe we’re different as individuals, but we’re completely in agreement on the goal,” she said.
As Foreign Minister and through her role in EU and NATO formats and at bilateral meetings, she is “often the first point of contact for questions about what we can do together to support Ukraine in defending its people.” She is conducting these talks with the same goal as the Chancellor, namely to support Ukraine together and at the same time not to endanger Germany.
The Greens politician also defended the value of debates on the issue. “If you weigh things up thoroughly within a government and also with each other, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. That’s the core of democracy,” she said.
The minister reacted cautiously to the demand by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the delivery of combat aircraft. “This isn’t a debate we’re having,” she said. “It is important that previous decisions are implemented quickly,” she added.
“We are currently seeing a Russian offensive in which new waves of forced mobilized troops are being thrown at the Ukrainian positions in complete contempt for their own soldiers,” she explained. In this situation, Germany would supply battle tanks and armored personnel carriers, ammunition, artillery and air defense.
On the objection that the debate had already broken out in full because Great Britain was already training Ukrainian pilots on Western aircraft, the minister said: “I know that.” Unlike Baerbock, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had a delivery of combat aircraft from Germany in Ukraine explicitly excluded.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock retracted her statement to the Council of Europe that Europe was “at war” with Russia. This is not the case, said the Green politician. At the same time, she asked for understanding for mistakes. “There is a saying that goes: If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t live,” said Baerbock. It is important to her to show people that foreign policy is not an abstract matter, but that it is directly related to them and their lives. “I want to make politics for people,” she added.
In the specific situation, many questioners in the Council of Europe accused her of leaving Ukraine in the lurch if it didn’t deliver battle tanks immediately. That’s why she made it clear that Germany was supporting Ukraine in defending itself. “As Europeans, I pleaded not pointing fingers at each other, but making sure that Ukraine can finally live in peace again.”
SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich had accused Baerbock of having strengthened Russian propaganda with her statement on the state of war with Russia. “The Russian regime and Vladimir Putin are trying to exploit every statement I make for their propaganda,” explained the minister: “They do the same when I say: Today is Saturday.”
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Source: Tagesspiegel
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