German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was accused of weakening Europe because he refused to stand firm against Russia, despite being warned by Putin that he is about to invade Ukraine.
Scholz, who replaced Angela Merkel as Scholz’s successor, tried to preserve the warm relationships with Moscow that his predecessor had by refusing arms supplies to Kiev and excluding sanctions from the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the event of an attack.
However, the leader of the SDP – who was a socialist when he was in school – is accused now of helping Putin and undermining West by creating divisions within NATO, EU, and even his new coalition to find the best way deter Russian strongman.
Today’s announcement by the German government was so extreme that it told reporters that Russia would be cut off from all international banking systems. The so-called nuclear Option’ of sanctions, angered Washington.
Germany’s new Chancellor Olaf Scholz was accused of weakening NATO and the EU. His country also took a soft line towards Russia while Putin prepares to invade Ukraine.
According to one government source, the West was said to have stopped considering it due to fears that it could disrupt international markets.
The US National Security Council quickly rejected the idea. It insisted that “no other option was off the table” as Anthony Blinken, Secretary of State, prepares for another round of negotiations with Moscow.
After Scholz said that Germany would not export weapons to Ukraine, this is only the latest instance of Germany being oblivious to Russian aggression.
On Monday, he insisted that Germany had a longstanding policy of not exporting arms even to defensive purposes and did not plan on changing it.
Scholz dodged a reporter’s question about whether Nord Stream 2 could be targeted with sanctions if Russia attacked.
While the pipeline, which connects Russia and Germany through Ukraine while bypassing Ukraine, deprives Kiev of crucial transport revenues, has not been opened.
Scholz maintained that, contrary to evidence, the pipeline is not political and therefore should be exempted.
A reporter asked Sholz in Madrid if that belief still holds. He replied that Russia will suffer serious consequences if Ukraine attacks.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht and SDP party Secretary-General Kevin Kühnert, two close allies of Scholz, also spoke out in defence of the pipeline last week – saying it should be exempt.
Russia is moving its troops to Belarus in preparation for live-fire drills and joint military exercises. This comes amid growing fears of an invasion by Ukraine.
After President Alexander Lukashenko’s announcement of upcoming war games, trains and roads have seen an increase in the number of armored vehicles arriving.
That is at odds with the government’s own Defence Minister, Annalena Baerbock – a member of the Green Party – who said on a visit to Kiev that it could be hit.
Such divisions ‘are weakening Germany and the EU’, according to Stefan Meister, an expert on Eastern Europe for one of Germany’s most-respected foreign policy think-tanks who spoke to the FT.
These words echo a letter that 70 German foreign policy leaders and academics signed at the weekend, asking the government to reconsider its position towards Russia.
They claim that the West has been hurt by the West’s ‘passivitate’ toward Russian aggression in the past 30 years and have encouraged Putin.
‘[Germany’s]”Russia policy must fundamentally be corrected,” the letter reads.
Russian to Berlin: “Merely verbal and symbolic reactions [aggression]As in the past it will only tempt Kremlin to further escapades.
“As the key member of NATO, the EU and the Western Community of Values, Germany is responsible for a significant part of our world.
Scholz indicated on Tuesday, in face of growing criticism that he would sanction the pipeline as an option to punish Russia. But he still refused to state a position.
Following a meeting between Scholz and Jens Stoltenburg the NATO chief, Scholz said that it was “clear” that everything would need to be talked about if there is a military intervention.
Putin justifies the War Games because of the alleged interference by NATO in Poland and Baltic states, which he claims threatens Russia. (Right, Lukashenko’s ally who is also hosting wargames)
The SDP have historically been closer to Russia than other German parties, and Berlin is under pressure to find a way to fill its energy gap as it withdraws from coal and nuclear power production and becomes more green.
Nord Stream 2’s opponents (including the United States) claim it will increase Europe’s dependence on Russia to supply energy.
As the project is still subject to approval by European Union regulators, it may not be in Germany’s best interests.
Josep Borrell is the EU’s head of international policy. He stated that Russia and Ukraine could cause conflict.
Stoltenberg stated that he invited NATO allies as well Russia to another series of NATO-Russia Council meetings to explore ways of improving the security situation. This was after a disappointing first round in two years.
“NATO’s Allies are ready to discuss concrete ideas on how to reduce risk and improve transparency regarding military activities, and how to reduce space- and cyber threat,” he said to a joint press conference with Scholz.
“We are prepared to resume the exchanges of briefings regarding exercises and respective nuclear policies.”
Russia has denied plans to attack Ukraine. Moscow claims it can take unspecified military actions if the NATO alliance’s demands, including its promise not to accept Kyiv by any means, aren’t met.
Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister, stated earlier Tuesday that Russia’s military buildup in Ukraine was “a menace” during her visit to Moscow to meet Sergei Lavrov.
Lavrov suggested Nord Stream 2 would add to both German and European energy security, saying Moscow ‘drew the attention of our German colleagues to the counter-productiveness of attempts to politicise this project.’