Ukraine: Ambassador demands arms deliveries from Baerbock

Created: 01/16/2022Updated: 01/16/2022 04:58

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) in a press statement in Berlin.

Shortly before their first visit to Kiev, the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin urged Baerbock to promise his country the delivery of weapons.

© Michael Sohn/Pool AP/dpa

First Kiev, then Moscow: It will be a difficult journey for Foreign Minister Baerbock.

Expectations of her are high in Ukraine - the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin laments the lack of support.

Berlin - Shortly before Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's inaugural visit to Kiev, the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin urged the Greens politician to promise Ukraine the delivery of weapons for national defense.

The reluctance or even rejection of armaments aid by Baerbock and the entire new federal government is "very frustrating and bitter," said Ambassador Andrij Melnyk of the German Press Agency.

“People in Ukraine are extremely disappointed.

Now the moment of truth has come as to who the real friend is.”

"Danger of war in the heart of Europe"

The Ukrainians are aware that the coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP stipulates a restrictive arms export policy that does not allow arms deliveries to crisis areas, said Melnyk. “But this political document is not a Bible. And the world is currently facing the greatest danger of a huge war in the middle of Europe, the worst since 1945.” Ukraine's statehood is being threatened by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainians have the "sacred right to self-defense".

Ukraine has been demanding arms deliveries from Germany for years in order to be able to defend itself against a possible Russian attack - so far without success.

However, Green Party leader Robert Habeck said during a visit to Ukraine during the election campaign last May that the country could hardly be denied "defensive weapons".

In view of the Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, the designated CDU chairman Friedrich Merz also advocates considering arms deliveries.

Shortly before Christmas, Baerbock told the dpa on the question: "Another military escalation would not bring any more security to Ukraine."

Melnyk pointed out that German criminal law includes the offense of "failure to provide assistance".

"The same basic principle applies in interstate relations," he said.

"We are therefore appealing to the German government, personally to Foreign Minister Baerbock, to urgently help Ukraine with the necessary defensive weapons.

That is morally and humanly imperative.”

“Firm and clear” course towards Russia

Melnyk also made it clear that he does not consider the supply of military protective equipment to be sufficient.

"We are now hearing from Berlin that a discussion about helmets or protective vests would be conceivable.

Nice.

The main thing is that nobody comes up with the idea of ​​sending us coffins.

That would be a help in a way," he said.

He was reacting to a statement by the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth (SPD), who had told the editorial network Germany (RND): "A discussion about protective devices such as helmets and protective vests is conceivable."

Baerbock will travel to Ukraine on Monday for her inaugural visit, where she will meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

In the evening she travels on to Moscow.

Talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are scheduled there on Tuesday.

Kuleba made his expectations of Germany clearer than Melnyk in the "Bild am Sonntag".

"We expect the new federal government to take a firm and clear course against Russian threats and attempts at intimidation - together with Ukraine and our partners and allies," said the Foreign Minister.

"No business interest and no need to show sympathy for Putin is worth allowing a bloody war in Europe."

Nord Stream 2 issue

Ukraine is demanding that Germany stop the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany in view of Russia's behavior in the Ukraine conflict.

Melnyk criticized the contradictory statements from the traffic light coalition on the subject.

In view of the threat posed by Russia, he called on the German government to “take a clear and unequivocal common position that under these devastating new circumstances Nord Stream 2 is no longer politically sustainable and should therefore never be allowed to go into operation”.

more on the subject

Russia warns of Nord Stream 2 delay

"The situation is very, very serious" - EPP Group leader Manfred Weber warns of war in Ukraine

“Invade Ukraine”?

Putin's statement at the press conference causes concern - Merz wants to deliver weapons to Ukraine

The Greens are skeptical about the pipeline.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), on the other hand, sees it as a private-sector project and has described the approval process as purely apolitical.

dpa