live ticker Letter to Scholz
“Do you really want to sacrifice your country?” – Craftsmen call for a stop to Russia sanctions
“Panzerfaust Made in Germany” – The Russians met this weapon in Odessa
Odessa prepares for Russian attacks. WELT chief reporter Steffen Schwarzkopf met Ukrainian soldiers in the port city who had entrenched themselves in their positions. Armed with guns, they wait for their attackers right on the Black Sea.
The Halle-Saalekreis district craftsmen’s association wrote to Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an unusually sharp tone. They demand negotiations with Russia to end the war. But that’s not all. More in the live ticker.
DThe Halle-Saalekreis district trade association in Saxony-Anhalt has called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to stop all sanctions against Russia. In an open letter that was available to the editorial network Germany (RND/Thursday), the craftsmen also called for negotiations to end the war against Ukraine.
“We as craftsmen know from many conversations with our customers that the vast majority is not willing to sacrifice their hard-earned standard of living for Ukraine. It’s not our war either!”, it says, and: “Do you want to be the chancellor who drove Germany to ruin. Do you really want to sacrifice your country?”
The district craftsman criticized Russia’s attack on Ukraine as a serious crime and “a clear violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter”. However, they are “worried about the future of our children and grandchildren, worried about the continued existence of our businesses, worried about our country”.
In addition, one cannot speak of a flawless democratic state in Ukraine. The craftsmen refer to a publication by Transparency International, in which the country took 122nd place in corruption in 2021 – no other European country did worse. “And you want to put Germany at risk for that?” criticize the 16 signatories from all guilds.
If prices continue to rise, the “average earner” will soon no longer be able to pay for his living. Then even normal, necessary manual work would become unaffordable, which in turn would lead to layoffs and the closure of companies.
07:21 – Putin and Xi will attend the G-20 summit in Indonesia
Both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin want to attend the G-20 summit on the holiday island of Bali in November. This was announced by the President of Indonesia. “Xi Jinping will come. President Putin has also told me that he will come,” Joko Widodo said in an interview with Bloomberg. For the first time since Moscow invaded Ukraine, the two have met in person with US President Joe Biden and other Democratic heads of state and government.
In the West, Putin’s participation in the summit is considered problematic, especially since Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia, has also been invited. Because of the war of aggression against the neighboring country, Russia is to be politically isolated. Several states have questioned their participation should Putin appear in person.
Tensions between the USA and China had recently increased again due to the visit of the Chairperson of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan.
06:27: Russia reports shooting down of drones over Crimea
According to the Russian air defense system, drones were shot down over the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Moscow. The anti-aircraft missiles rendered the drones harmless near the Belbek airfield near Sevastopol, Russian officials said. A similar action took place in the city of Kerch.
In recent weeks there have been explosions on the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, destroying combat aircraft and damaging military airfields. In the last such incident, Russia spoke of “acts of sabotage”, Ukraine claimed no responsibility for the explosions.
02:50 a.m .: Estonia – entry restrictions so far without major effects
According to the authorities, Estonia’s new entry restrictions for Russian citizens have not had any major impact on the situation at the border. “Our work at the border crossing is currently taking place at a fairly normal rhythm,” said border guard Mark Smirnov from the control point in Narva of the German Press Agency. The restrictions would not have “significantly increased the workload”. The situation is very similar at the other two crossings on the Estonian-Russian border in Luhamaa and Koidula, the police and border protection authority in Tallinn said on request.
Since Thursday, Russian citizens have not been allowed to enter the Baltic EU and NATO country with a Schengen visa issued by Estonia. However, certain exceptions apply, for example, to Russians who are resident, have the right to stay or have relatives in Estonia. Russian citizens with visas issued by other EU members, which apply to the entire Schengen area with its 26 European countries, are also allowed to enter the country. Estonia is therefore campaigning for a fundamental freeze on tourist visas in the EU.
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