French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has reacted with concern to the major military maneuvers with Russia that have begun in Belarus. Le Drian described the “extremely massive” maneuvers in the middle of the Ukraine crisis on the France Inter broadcaster as a “gesture of great violence” that “worries” the French governmenthttps://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/.” Every country has Of course, the right to organize military maneuvers, but here there is a very significant accumulation of exercises on the border with Ukraine,” said the minister. It now depends on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin withdraws his troops after the maneuvers or leaves them there.
Despite criticism from the West, both countries began maneuvers on Thursday, according to a statement from the defense ministries. The exercise in the south of the ex-Soviet republic not far from Ukraine and in the west on the EU’s external border should last ten days. In the West, it is feared that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine as part of the maneuver. The military leaders in Belarus and Russia have repeatedly emphasized that the troop deployment is purely for training purposes, does not pose a threat to anyone and is in accordance with international law. According to the Kremlin, the Russian soldiers should return to their locations after the end of the exercise.
In response to Russian military exercises in Belarus, the Ukrainian military also wants to start a ten-day maneuver. Among other things, handling drones and missiles and anti-tank weapons supplied by foreign partners are to be tested. (02/10/2022)
Criticism of Schroeder
Two weeks after former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) expressed sympathy for Russia, the SPD leadership is clearly distancing itself from its party friend. The fact that he accused Ukraine of “saber rattling” is “an outlandish position” and not that of the SPD, said her Secretary General Kevin Kühnert daily mirror. “The accusation of saber-rattling against Ukraine is a blatant distortion of the facts and, with all due respect, simply nonsense.”
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil also said in the ZDF program “Markus Lanz”, Schröder’s statement was “absolutely wrong”. And it has “nothing to do with what the SPD leadership and the Chancellor represent, what we are committed to and what we stand for”.
Kühnert also thinks Schröder’s commitments to several Russian companies are wrong. “He’s blurring the line between his business activities and the way he is listened to as an experienced former prime minister. That’s not only wrong, it’s even sad,” said Kühnert on Schröder’s intention to join the board of directors of the Russian company Gazprom . He has already held management positions at the energy company Rosneft and the pipeline operators Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2.
Shortly after Schröder’s public partisanship in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, SPD foreign policy expert Michael Roth rejected this: “If 100,000 combat-ready Russian soldiers encircle Ukraine, then that’s a very concrete threat. People who name it clearly and warn against, are not warmongers.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recently emphasized that he sets the guidelines for German politics and that Schröder represents a private opinion. From the top of the SPD itself, Klingbeil and Kühnert are now the first to publicly distance themselves from Schröder. (02/09/2022)
Russia cancels participation in Munich security conference
In the midst of serious tensions in the Ukraine conflict, Russia wants to stay away from the Munich Security Conference this time. For “various reasons” no representatives of the Russian government will take part, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. The world’s most important security policy expert meeting has lost its objectivity. “We regret to say that the conference has increasingly turned into a transatlantic forum in recent years,” said Zakharova.
Russia is demanding binding security guarantees from the West. In letters to Moscow, NATO and the USA had already rejected central concerns of Moscow, but had shown themselves willing to talk. Specifically, Russia is demanding an end to the eastward expansion of NATO, which it sees as a threat to its security. US Vice President Kamala Harris and Chancellor Olaf Scholz as well as around 35 other heads of state and government are expected to attend the conference in Munich, which will take place from February 18 to 20. Two years ago, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov traveled to the meeting. (09.02.2022)
Scholz, Macron and Duda emphasize unity
Attempts to defuse the Ukraine crisis with travel diplomacy continue. After Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in the White House with US President Joe Biden on Monday, he will receive French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin today. In turn, he has visited Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The Polish head of state Andrzej Duda has also joined Scholz and Macron in Berlin.
The meeting was “a little historic,” said Scholz at the beginning of the joint press conference. For the first time in eleven years, France, Germany and Poland would come together at this level in the “Weimar Triangle” format. The common goal is to prevent a war in Europe. Another violation of Ukraine’s borders is unacceptable and will have severe consequences for Russia, Scholz said. The three countries agree on this.
Duda said the meeting came at the right time. It is important to find a solution to the most difficult situation since 1989. Troop movements like the Russian ones have not been seen in Europe since the end of World War II. One wonders, according to Duda, what will come after the troop deployments – in other words, what Putin really intends to do with his military. It is important to also ensure the security of countries that are not members of the European Union.
Macron emphasized that peace in Europe is the continent’s greatest treasure. It has to be defended. It is also important to defend Europe’s values and the sovereignty of its states. In the last few days, “new approaches” have emerged to defuse the crisis. They want to continue working on these and at the same time keep the dialogue with Russia going.
According to the French President, it could take months to resolve the Ukraine crisis. Macron said before his visit to Berlin that Putin had told him that he would not be the one behind an escalation of tensions. His talks with Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy helped to make progress in stabilizing the situation. For his part, Zelenskyj said his country expects concrete steps from Russia that show that de-escalation is meant seriously. “I don’t really trust words. I believe that every politician can be transparent by taking concrete steps,” said the Ukrainian president. (02/08/2022)
Johnson prepares sanctions against Russia in case of attack
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated that Britain would respond with sanctions and other measures in the event of a Russian attack on Ukraine. Johnson said his government will ask parliament to impose sanctions on Russian individuals and companies Times. According to the report, Johnson is also considering sending fighter jets and warships. Britain is also preparing to reinforce the British-led NATO force in Estonia. (02/08/2022)
Biden: Russian Ukraine invasion would be over for Nord Stream 2
During Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s inaugural visit to US President Joe Biden, both sides demonstrated unity in the Ukraine crisis and in the transatlantic relationship. “Germany is one of America’s closest allies,” Biden said when he met Scholz in the Oval Office. He looks forward to the close cooperation. Scholz emphasized: “We are the closest allies and work together intensively, and that is necessary in order to take the steps that we must take, for example, in the fight against Russian aggression towards Ukraine.”
At the joint press conference, both politicians also emphasized the close relationship between the USA and Germany. Both countries would work closely together to bring about a solution to the crisis and ensure Ukraine’s security. Biden said the talks were very productive. The partnership between the USA and Germany will be further strengthened. Diplomacy is the best way for everyone to deal with the crisis, “including Russia,” said Biden. However, the US and NATO are ready to react should Russia decide to advance further into Ukraine. It is about preserving the unity and peace of Europe.
If the ground is suitably frozen, Russia will be able to launch an invasion, Biden said. However, he does not know whether the Russian President really intends to do this, only Putin himself knows that. When asked, Biden recommended that the Americans who are currently in Ukraine leave the country.
Scholz has been accused by some allies of not putting enough pressure on Russia in the Ukraine crisis. Doubts have also been raised in the USA as to whether Germany can be counted on in an emergency. Berlin’s refusal to supply arms to Ukraine causes irritation. There is still massive criticism in the USA of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline, which is intended to bring gas directly from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine.
On the future of the gas pipeline, Biden said that if Russia invades Ukraine again, the pipeline will no longer exist. “I can promise you that we will be able to do this,” said Biden when asked how he wanted to do it. Scholz said that possible far-reaching sanctions have been prepared, but that this means not putting all the measures on the table so that Russia cannot prepare for the penalties. When asked about Nord Stream 2, Scholz said that they would act together on this topic, that there would be no different steps by the partners.
Scholz thanked Biden for the detailed discussions. “We are in a very, very difficult situation,” he warned. There is a military threat to Ukraine, one cannot remain silent about it. But it has been said so often by the partners in Europe, NATO and the USA that there would be very severe consequences for Russia should the country invade Ukraine that he believes the message has also reached Moscow, he says scholz It is important to use all discussion formats, including the Normandy format, to seek dialogue with Russia after the possible sanctions have been clarified. (07.02.2022)