Russian invasion
Atrocities in Bucha trigger horror in Germany
A Ukrainian soldier stands at a road block and holds up the Ukrainian flag. Photo: Rodrigo Abd/AP/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
After the horrible pictures from the Ukrainian Bucha, the German government is also stunned. German politicians are demanding relentless clarification.
After the atrocities in a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the German government is calling for even tougher sanctions against Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) demanded on Sunday in Berlin: “We must relentlessly investigate these crimes committed by the Russian military.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) spoke out in favor of bringing war criminals before the International Criminal Court. Numerous bodies had previously been discovered in Bucha, a suburb north-west of Kyiv that was fought over for weeks. About 280 people were buried in a mass grave.
“I demand that international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross be given access to these areas in order to independently document the atrocities,” said Scholz, without explicitly speaking of war crimes. Perpetrators and clients must be held accountable. The Chancellor repeatedly called on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and to stop fighting. The war has lasted more than five weeks.
Baerbock blames Putin
Baerbock described the pictures from Butscha as “intolerable”. On Twitter, she held Russian President Vladimir Putin personally responsible: “Putin’s unrestrained violence is wiping out innocent families and knows no borders.” The Green politician added: “Those responsible for these war crimes must be held accountable.” Ukraine needs more support to defend itself. Baerbock did not go into detail.
Lambrecht calls for talks about further sanctions
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht called for a quick response from EU countries to the atrocities. “There has to be an answer. There has to be a reaction. Such crimes must not go unanswered, »said the SPD politician on Sunday to the ARD «Report from Berlin». The EU states should exchange information about further sanctions against Russia as soon as possible. She assumes that energy supplies will then also be discussed. Germany will also continue to check the delivery of requested weapons.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) also called for tougher sanctions against Russia. “This terrible war crime cannot go unanswered,” said the Vice Chancellor of the “Bild” newspaper. A tightening of the sanctions is being prepared within the EU. The Europeans have already imposed extensive penalties since the Russian war of aggression began on February 24. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) also spoke on Twitter of unbearable images that showed a “criminal nature of the war against Ukraine”.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in Berlin: “The war crimes committed by Russia are visible to the eyes of the world.” At the same time he assured Germany’s solidarity. The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, had previously accused him of a highly questionable political proximity to Russia: “For Steinmeier, the relationship with Russia was and remains something fundamental, even sacred, no matter what happens,” Melnyk told the “Tagesspiegel”.