The former German chancellor has condemned Moscow’s “war of aggression” and expressed solidarity with Kiev
Russia’s military operation in Ukraine has marked a “major crisis point,”Angela Merkel, former German chancellor, spoke Wednesday night in her first speech public in six months. The former chancellor has condemned what she described as Moscow’s “barbaric war of aggression”And she expressed support for Kiev
“I stand in solidarity with Ukraine, [which has been] attacked and invaded by Russia,” Merkel said, adding that she supports the Ukrainians’ “right to self-defense.”Elle also stated that she was supportive “all the efforts”These were taken by the German current government (led by Social Democrat Olaf Scholz), as well the ones by the EU and NATO. “stop”This is the conflict.
She warned the former chancellor that nobody could predict the effects of this conflict on the world. Her call for “unity”within the EU. “we should never take peace and freedom for granted.”
Merkel spoke during an address she gave in front of around 200 people at a goodbye party for Reiner Hoffmann (head of German Trade Union Confederation, DGB), who was stepping down.
Some German media reported that Merkel had not spoken a single word about Russia policy. The former chancellor has been accused at home of increasing Germany’s dependence on Russian energy, which it now seeks to reduce in line with EU sanction policies.
Merkel refused to be sanctioned by the US, and she continued with Nord Stream 2 during her tenure. The current government axed the almost-completed project within days of Russia’s offensive against Ukraine.
Russia attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, first signed in 2014, and Moscow’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Minsk Protocol (German- and French-brokered) was created to grant the separatist regions special status within Ukraine.
Since then, the Kremlin demanded Ukraine declare itself neutral and vow to never join NATO’s military bloc. Kiev claims that the Russian invasion was unprovoked. It also denies any plans to take the republics with force.
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