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CDU foreign politician demands more self-criticism from Merkel
The then Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) spoke to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019. photo
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
SPD leader Klingbeil is harsh on his party’s Russia policy – Union politician Roderich Kiesewetter wants the former chancellor to do the same.
The CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter has called on ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel to be more self-critical about her Russia policy. Merkel has recognized that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to weaken and divide Europe. But during her time in government she “did the wrong conclusions” and only reacted with “soft power”, Kiesewetter accused his former party leader in the “Handelsblatt”. “I would like to see more in-depth reflection and critical self-assessment from the former Chancellor.”
The policy of recent years, which relied heavily on cheap gas from Russia, was also not economically sustainable because gas does not represent a sustainable solution that would have brought about a modernization push in renewable energies. This is now costing Germany dearly. “That’s why today we have to question the decisions of that time even more critically,” said Kiesewetter.