CNN quoted former German Chancellor Angela Merkel as saying that Russia’s “brutal contempt for international law” was justified when the invasion of Ukraine began.
“The attack on Ukraine is a grave mistake on the part of Russia and an objective violation of all the rules of international law and everything that allows us to live together peacefully in Europe,” Merkel told German journalist Alexander Oshank. .
“If we go for centuries and say who owns what land, we will only have war, which is completely unacceptable,” he added.
Merkel said she did not blame herself for “not making enough effort” to prevent Russia’s actions in the years leading up to the February 24 invasion.
I would have been very sorry if I had said to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “Oh, you don’t need to talk to this man.”
Merkel said that Russia and Europe are neighbors and that some relations are conditional.
“You can not ignore each other. It will not be possible in the future,” Merkel added.
Merkel insisted that any plan to make Ukraine a NATO member during her tenure would be tantamount to a declaration of war from Putin’s point of view.
Merkel said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zhelensky was incredibly courageous in his fight against corruption, but that “at that time Ukraine was a country dominated by oligarchs” and that would have prevented it from joining NATO.
“That’s why I resisted it,” she said.
Merkel paid homage to Zhelensky’s “will.”
“His response to the opportunity to leave the country – I do not need walking, I need weapons – was very clear, and it really boosted my respect,” Merkel said.
“Ultimately, Ukraine is a geopolitical hostage to the West. Putin’s hatred, Putin’s hostility to the Western model.
He said he was very happy that Germany had recently decided to buy Israeli drones.
“Investing in a military blockade is a very difficult struggle. It is the only language that Putin understands,” he said.
“The unity of the European Union is very, very important now,” the former German chancellor added.
Photo by Evgeny ODINOKOV / SPUTNIK / AFP
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