The Ukrainian President should seek the unity of the allies and not give school grades.
(Photo: dpa)
The rumored refusal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to see the Federal President is understandable, but at the same time presumptuous and short-sighted. It is understandable that Frank-Walter Steinmeier stuck to intensifying German relations with Russia for a long time and despite all the setbacks.
It was certainly too late for him to publicly turn his back on Moscow only last week and after a severe verbal attack by the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin. However, former SPD chancellery and foreign ministers sent very urgent words to Russia when he was re-elected, and he distanced himself more honestly and clearly than other earlier responsible politicians from Vladimir Putin and his own failed Russia policy.
Where is Angela Merkel’s publicly perceptible coming to terms with 16 years of Putin politics?
It is understandable that Selenski does not need Steinmeier in Kyiv, but Olaf Scholz. Because it is the Federal Chancellor who sets the guidelines for German politics and who, especially in view of the threat of a massive attack on the Donbass, must send as much military equipment to Ukraine as possible.
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Because in Ukraine, Europe’s freedom is defended, our understanding of sovereignty and values. And the Russian army is now committing unspeakable crimes in Ukraine, which – unless the West itself wants to intervene militarily – must be stopped by Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers with the help of Western weapons.
Do not endanger the unity of the West with Ukraine
That’s why Kyiv needs Scholz more urgently than Steinmeier. But it’s not either or, but a big gesture of reparation by Steinmeier, wanting to travel personally to Selenski. As I said, rejecting him is understandable, but also an affront.
Steinmeier has played an important role in Ukraine politics. He negotiated the Minsk agreements alongside Merkel. Today’s leadership in Kyiv didn’t like these because they demanded a lot from the long-suffering country.
But it is forgotten that Ukraine, which was under military pressure in 2014/15 and was hardly defensible, urgently needed a ceasefire. The fact that he negotiated with the Russian pistol to the head and was in large parts excessively difficult for the country, which was inferior at the time, is something that Selenski and his team can’t just push into the skat today.
Ukraine now needs a close-knit West at its side, which will also draw many allied countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to the side of justice and freedom. What is not needed are school grades from Kyiv for politicians, ministers and heads of state in Europe.
A country under pressure like Ukraine has every right to shout, demand and denounce. But it shouldn’t make the mistake of now jeopardizing unity with exaggerated comments – not towards politicians in Ukraine itself and not in the West. Because it’s about attitude and resistance to Russia, not about attitude notes as in diplomatically better times.
More: All developments on the Ukraine war here in the live blog