On her first trip to the Ukraine, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was confronted with demands to support the country against possible aggression by Moscow, including by supplying weapons. Kiev’s ambassador in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, told the German Press Agency that the reluctance or even rejection of armaments aid by the Green politician and the new federal government was “very frustrating and bitter”.
Ukraine has been demanding arms deliveries from Germany for years. So far, Berlin has only provided medical supplies and is considering supplying protective equipment. However, Green Party co-chairman Robert Habeck said during a visit to Ukraine in May during the election campaign that the country could hardly be denied “defensive weapons”. In view of the Russian troop deployment, the designated CDU chairman Friedrich Merz also advocates considering arms deliveries. Baerbock has so far rejected this.
The head of the Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz, Yuri Vitrenko, warned that if Russia invaded Ukraine, gas supplies to Germany could be disrupted. “The first bombs will be aimed at the pipelines,” he said Süddeutsche Zeitung. He reiterated Kiev’s demand that the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which connects Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea and bypasses Ukraine, should not go into operation.
According to insiders, the US government has explored emergency plans for gas deliveries to Europe with energy companies. The Reuters news agency reports, citing industry and government circles, that representatives of the State Department have spoken to the companies about capacities for higher supply volumes in the event that Russian gas supplies are interrupted. However, a loss of large quantities from Russia is difficult to replace.
Meanwhile, the designated CDU leader Merz opposed excluding Russia from the international banking payment system Swift in the event of an attack on Ukraine. This could be “the atomic bomb for the capital markets and also for goods and services relations,” he warned. That’s why Swift should remain “untouched”. The G-7 countries, the EU and the NATO members have threatened Moscow with serious consequences if they invade. This also includes sanctions against the financial sector. However, it has not been confirmed that this would also include the Swift exclusion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the US of “false allegations” against Russia and spreading lies. The government in Moscow denies that it is planning an invasion of the neighboring country. However, she does not explain the deployment of troops, but insists on being able to move them at any time in her own territory as she sees fit.