Germany and France again, as in 2015, offer their mediation services to de-escalate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. About a new mediation attempt announced the other day the German and French Foreign Ministers Annalena Burbock and Jean-Yves Le Drian. On January 17, Burbock met in Kiev with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba. She will then travel to Moscow to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Far from everyone in Germany is satisfied with this initiative.
On the eve of Annalena Burbock’s visit to Kiev and Moscow, German experts on Eastern Europe, concerned about the concentration of Russian troops and military equipment on the border with Ukraine, the threat of a military confrontation and Putin’s ultimatum demands, addressed an open letter to the German government. They demand a “radical” change in Germany’s too soft, in their opinion, policy towards Russia.
Among the 73 people who signed the letter are politicians and political scientists, Slavists and historians, journalists, cultural figures and university professors. These are, among others, a long-term member of the Bundestag from the Christian Democrats (Angela Merkel’s party), Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament Ruprecht Polenz, his colleague from the Green Party Volker Beck, Rebecca Harms, who headed the Greens delegation in the European Parliament, Werner Schultz, in a recent in the past – Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Cooperation between the EU and Russia, the famous historian Karl Schlegel, Professor Hubertus Jahn, Head of the Department of Russian and Caucasian History at the University of Cambridge, and many others.
The appeal reads, in part: “The Russian Federation is one of the most powerful militarily states. With the help of its troops and irregular armed formations, as well as its threatening nuclear potential, the Kremlin wages wars and occupies the territories of the former Soviet republics.” The letter also refers to subversive activities and propaganda campaigns in other countries, ignoring the principles of international law, the persecution and murder of those whom Moscow considers “enemies”, hacker attacks … “And Germany has been behind all this for three decades observes, albeit critically, but for the most part indifferently,” the authors of the letter emphasize. Moreover, in their opinion, the attack on Ukraine in 2014 was “a logical consequence of the passive German policy towards Russian neo-imperialism. And the EU economic sanctions were too soft and unsatisfactory response to the increasingly aggressive course of the Kremlin.”
Berlin’s words should be followed by much more deeds than have been so far
–
–
The authors of the letter demand a fundamental change in German policy towards Russia. They emphasize that Germany, as Russia’s largest economic, scientific and investment partner, has every opportunity for this. “Berlin’s words must be followed by many more deeds, more effective actions than have been so far.”
One of the signatories – Manfred Quiring, who worked in Moscow for about 20 years as a correspondent for the German newspapers Welt and Berliner Zeitung. He is the author of the books “Russia: the revival of a world power?” and Putin’s Russian World.
–
–The then leader of the German Social Democrats Martin Schulz looks through Manfred Quiring’s book “Putin’s Russian World”
–
– Such an open letter, signed by such authoritative people, is a very serious and infrequent thing. Why was it decided now to write and publish this peculiar appeal?
– Our letter is an important and very serious indicator of events, an appeal with which experts on Russia and Eastern Europe address the political elite of Germany. We call for an immediate and radical change in German policy towards Moscow, to build it in a new way. Urgently, because now we see an increase in the aggressive foreign policy of the Kremlin, which we must decisively oppose.
Ukraine needs military assistance. She faces a real threat
–
–
– How?
– First of all, it is necessary to stop attempts to appease. Over the past years and decades, we have heard the same question again and again: “What do we need to do to appease Russia?” But Russia has been pursuing its own plans all this time, the purpose of which is to return to the former, Soviet sphere of influence, again determine the policies of countries that belonged to this sphere, and even annex them – formally or informally. This must be resolutely rebuffed, because such a policy will continue in the future, no matter how friendly the West tries to behave. No readiness for compromise will stop Moscow here.
– The tried-and-tested remedy is economic and diplomatic sanctions, although even here they argue about the degree of their severity. What do you think about military aid to Ukraine?
– I am convinced that Ukraine needs military assistance. Ukraine is facing a real threat, Russian troops and military equipment are drawn to its borders, and it needs help, including the supply of military equipment and weapons. This is a requirement of reason, and I am disappointed with the position of the German Foreign Minister Annalene Berbock, who has not yet decided on this. I hope that she will still give the “go-ahead” for the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
– Some commentators, speaking about the current threat to Ukraine and negotiations with Russia on this issue at different levels, draw parallels with 1938, recall “Munich Agreement”…
I am skeptical about historical parallels. We live in other times, specific circumstances are also different… Direct parallels are meaningless here. Still, some lessons from the past can and should be learned. The main lesson: trying to appease an aggressive political partner is the wrong way. Of course, we must continue the dialogue as far as possible, but we now see that Moscow is making ultimatum demands, threatening, if they are not accepted, with new militaristic adventures. This is completely unacceptable.
