Finally, it is also about Nord Stream 2
International crisis diplomacy
continues to whirl to prevent a war in Eastern Europe
.
Whether Vladimir Putin is really planning an invasion of Ukraine is something only he knows (possibly he hasn't decided yet).
But 100,000 Russian soldiers and heavy military equipment on the border with Ukraine are reason enough to assume the worst.
This Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Kiev to express American solidarity with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba
and to reaffirm President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The next day Blinken flies to Berlin and meets with Annalena Baerbock, among others.
On Friday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wants to speak to Blinken in Geneva, on neutral ground.
At least people are talking, which has to be taken as a good sign these days.
The German foreign minister completed her
Lavrov premiere
yesterday .
Baerbock did it confidently, which is not a matter of course, considering the Russian chief diplomat's desire to instruct or even demonstrate to his guests.
But the Green politician was well prepared, did not allow herself to be provoked and made her view of the Russian troop mobilization clear:
"It's difficult not to understand that as a threat."
Certainly, Baerbock will not have brought anyone to their senses in the Kremlin.
But it's worth something if the newcomer from Berlin is taken seriously in Moscow.
Especially since they are more likely to rely on Chancellor Olaf Scholz, from whose Social Democratic Party there is a surprising amount of understanding for Russian sensitivities even these days.
The signal that Scholz sent out on Tuesday alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was all the more important:
For the first time, the Chancellor did not rule out that a Russian attack on Ukraine could have consequences for the operation of Nord Stream 2.
If Scholz is serious that the Baltic Sea pipeline, which is otherwise often referred to as a purely private-sector project, could be part of a possible sanctions package, he is approaching Baerbock's critical position.
It would be a step towards a unified stance by the traffic light government on Russia policy.
A step that is overdue.
Weapons technology and tactics: How Russia could attack Ukraine
Does Palmer do it alone?
Boris Palmer doesn't want to be mayor for the Greens again. That is in fact
"logically and factually impossible
," as the still incumbent mayor of Tübingen himself argued to party friends: The state association wants to throw him out of the party, at the same time he should take part in the primary election of the green city association and have himself set up as mayor candidate ? That doesn't add up.
Is this the retirement of a former exceptional political talent, a visionary
who made Tübingen a green showcase city during the 15 years of his reign; who could have been anything, successor to Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann? If, yes, if this man hadn't always stood in his own way because he's looking for attention, because he enjoys
provocation
, because he occasionally made inhuman failures.
The last of these failures, a Facebook comment about former footballer Dennis Aogo that was perceived as racist, led to the decision of the state party to finally get rid of Palmer by party order proceedings.
He felt misunderstood, as he felt misunderstood with each of his gaffes, spoke of irony.
But irony is such a thing.
No, it doesn't have to be the retreat yet.
It is conceivable that Palmer will start again on his own account.
It is conceivable that he will even win the election in this way, after all, many Tübingen residents are satisfied with their mayor.
That's not a nice idea for the Greens.
You would have one more reason to be expelled from the party if Palmer, despite being a party member, would fight against Ulrike Baumgärtner, the probably official, much less well-known Green Party candidate.
But throw out an election winner?
That doesn't look good at all for the party leadership.
Boris Palmer: The Green Racist
With Europe up for re-election
Since his election, French President
Emmanuel Macron
has shown himself to be very flexible, not to say pliable, politically.
So today he is recognizable further to the right than left of center.
But he has remained true to one theme the whole time: Europe.
Making the continent a more powerful player in the world is a genuine, serious concern for him. This morning, Macron wants to present
the most important projects of the French EU Council Presidency
, which the country took over on January 1,
in the European Parliament in Strasbourg .
As early as December, the President outlined that he has big plans for the coming months: The plans range from better protection of the external borders to the expansion of European defense, more flexible budget rules for more investments and climate protection and digitization initiatives.
Our France correspondent Britta Sandberg heard from the Élysée in Paris that when she appeared in front of the parliamentarians in Strasbourg, it was all about the big picture again.
So, will we hear a speech today reminiscent of
Macron's famous Sorbonne speech
, in which he called for a new European sovereignty back in 2017?
"It's difficult to win election campaigns with Europe as an issue," says my colleague Britta.
In 2017, Macron succeeded in doing this, at least in part.
He now wants to repeat that and win over the French, who are oriented towards Europe, because the presidential elections are due in April.
By then, Macron will have to be able to show some of the results of his presidency.
Rough quotes from the French President: Macron's declaration of war on the unvaccinated
Loser of the day...
… is Jean-Michel Blanquer.
France's Minister of Education has not been well received by teachers, students and parents because of his unconvincing corona crisis management.
Now the news portal "Medipart" has revealed: Blanquer not only announced the new rules for schools at the beginning of the year, some of which have already been overturned, too late (on the last day of the Christmas holidays) and communicatively clumsy (via a newspaper interview behind a payment barrier).
He also did this while on vacation, from the Balearic island of Ibiza – which the newspaper “Le Parisien”, in which the interview appeared, did not make transparent, if they knew.
She published an archive photo of Blanquer from the minister's office for the conversation.
The outcry is great, the teachers are raging, the opposition is demanding Blanquer's resignation.
"With your feet in the water and a cocktail in your hand," the minister issued the controversial rules on the "party island," critics say.
That's mean, of course, after all, Ibiza's reputation doesn't necessarily stem from glamorous winter feasts.
And with 12 to 13 degrees, which a look at the weather data archive shows for the turn of the year, it was also a bit too fresh for a swim in the Mediterranean.
It doesn't make it any better, Monsieur Blanquer has now come to realize that.
He certainly could have chosen a different location than the Spanish island known for parties, he conceded.
"I'm sorry for the symbolism."
The latest news from the night
RKI reports more than 100,000 new infections per day for the first time:
The Robert Koch Institute registered a total of 112,323 new infections with the corona virus within 24 hours.
The seven-day incidence rises to 584.4, which is also a new high
Up to 20 Tory MPs apparently want to express no confidence in Boris Johnson:
according to a report, the British Prime Minister could soon be faced with a vote of no confidence.
Even in his own party, his support is dwindling rapidly
Ukraine wants warships and air defense systems from Germany:
Despite the German government's clear no to arms deliveries to Ukraine, the government in Kiev is now making concrete requests.
And: politicians from the FDP and CDU support the export of defensive weapons
The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today
No sanctions, no effect: the stability pact is a fetish – so get rid of it
Europe's Energy Crisis: How Long We Can Go Without Russia's Gas
Researcher on mental pain as a guide: "I survived, but I could not grieve"
Professional fisherman Peter Dietze fears for his profession: "They want us to go away"
80 years of the Wannsee Conference: The bureaucrat who helped plan the extermination of the Jews – and suddenly forgot everything
Have a good day.
Heartfelt,
Yours, Philip Wittrock
