New Foreign Minister
Annalena Baerbock speaks plain language in Paris, threatens Russia – and takes spontaneous photos
Short photo stop on the Seine bridge in Paris: Annalena Baerbock stopped the vehicle column to have private photos taken for her daughters
Annalena Baerbock is traveling to France on her first day as Foreign Minister. There she speaks plain language, threatens Russia – and quickly takes a few photos for her daughters in between.
Annalena Baerbock traveled to France on her first full day at work as Germany’s new Foreign Minister. The first Green politician in office invoked Franco-German friendship, despite existing differences of opinion, for example on nuclear power. Europe is “the linchpin of German foreign policy,” said Baerbock on Thursday at a joint press conference with her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris. “To achieve this, a strong Europe needs strong Franco-German impulses.” In the worsening Ukraine crisis, she warned Russia of the serious consequences of a further escalation.
After meeting Le Drian, Baerbock took the Thalys high-speed train to Brussels. There she wanted to speak to EU foreign affairs officer Josep Borrell, US climate protection officer John Kerry and NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in the afternoon. On Friday, Baerbock is flying to Warsaw for an inaugural visit to her Polish colleague Zbigniew Rau.
In addition to discussing the current crises, the first woman at the head of the Foreign Office also uses the Paris visit for a few private moments. On the way from the French Foreign Ministry on the Quai d’Orsay to the Gare du Nord, the Thalys train station, the 40-year-old has her convoy of vehicles stop briefly on a Seine bridge to take photos with the Eiffel Tower in the background. These are only for her two daughters, she said at the spontaneous stop.
See the Louvre again quickly: a little detour for Annalena Baerbock
Then the drivers with Baerbock make a little detour past the world-famous Louvre. In the train station she stops with two pianists before getting on the train – but does not touch the keys herself.
During her appearance with Le Drian, Baerbock had previously said that Europe would be weaker if Germany did not invest in relations between Paris and Berlin. With a view to France taking over the EU Council Presidency at the beginning of 2022, she named the conference on the future of Europe initiated by Paris an important milestone for the EU. Baerbock duze Le Drian and thanked him “for this really warm and friendly welcome”. She said: “What could be nicer for a foreign minister than to be in her new office in Paris on the first morning.”
Le Drian said he was looking forward to continuing “with Annalena” the trusting relationship he had with her predecessor Heiko Maas (SPD). The relationship between the two foreign ministers is “a bit of the treasure trove of the Franco-German relationship in the service of Europe”. It is essential, “not to say vital for our two peoples”.
Despite the exuberant tones, Baerbock stuck to the rejection of the French plans to classify nuclear power as “green” energy. “It is well known that we have different positions on the nuclear issue,” she said. The subject of so-called taxonomy is being discussed at all levels, including between Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as at the European level in Brussels. Scholz wanted to go to Marcron’s inaugural visit on Friday.
It is still particularly controversial in the EU whether nuclear power and gas can also be considered sustainable. France, together with countries like Poland and the Czech Republic, wants to label nuclear power as “green” at all costs. Germany, Luxembourg and Austria, among others, are strictly against it.
Baerbock directs clear words to Russia in the Ukraine conflict
In the escalating conflict in Ukraine, Baerbock threatened Russia with serious consequences if it escalated. “Russia would pay a high political and, above all, economic price for a renewed violation of Ukrainian statehood.” Military escalation must be avoided. Solutions can only be found through diplomatic channels, said Baerbock. You and Le Drian are ready to get deeply involved personally.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has worsened in the past few weeks. The US accuses Russia of deploying troops not far from the border with Ukraine. A Russian invasion of the ex-Soviet republic is feared in the West. Russia rejects this and accuses Ukraine of having deployed more than 120,000 soldiers on the line to the areas controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
France and Germany mediate in the Normandy format conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which has been going on since 2014. However, the peace plan agreed in Minsk in 2015 is on hold. Most recently, a Normandy summit was held in Paris in December 2019. Le Drian said France and Germany wanted to hold a new meeting at ministerial level as soon as possible.
During the performance with Le Drian, Baerbock spoke of the “beginning of a future friendship”. In the end, she said the only French words in her first major international press conference in office: “Merci. Au revoir” – in German: “Thank you. Goodbye.” There will be a reunion soon: this Friday evening at the G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Liverpool, UK, and again on Monday at the EU Foreign Council in Brussels. Here, too, the Ukraine and Moscow are likely to be at the fore.
See in the video: The traffic light coalition presents the coalition agreement. Green chairmen Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck are satisfied.