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“Knocks the bottom of the barrel”: Schröder attacks Ukraine and gives prognosis for Russian invasion

2022-01-28T14:47:12.226Z


“Knocks the bottom of the barrel”: Schröder attacks Ukraine and gives prognosis for Russian invasion Created: 01/28/2022, 15:41 By: Stephanie Munk The conflict with Russia threatens global security. Former Chancellor Schröder takes a sharp stance on Ukraine. All information in the news ticker. In the Ukraine conflict*, Russia is continuing to deploy troops on the border. A military invasion is


“Knocks the bottom of the barrel”: Schröder attacks Ukraine and gives prognosis for Russian invasion

Created: 01/28/2022, 15:41

By: Stephanie Munk

The conflict with Russia threatens global security.

Former Chancellor Schröder takes a sharp stance on Ukraine.

All information in the news ticker.

  • In the Ukraine conflict*, Russia is continuing to deploy troops on the border.

    A military invasion is feared

    (see first report).

  • The Pentagon also observed further troop deployments on the border with Ukraine on Thursday evening and reiterated its support

    (see update from January 27, 10:05 p.m.).

  • Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder defended the German refusal to deliver arms to Ukraine and speaks of "saber rattling"

    (see update from January 28, 10:30 a.m.)

    .

  • This

    news ticker on the Ukraine conflict

    has ended.

+++ This news ticker has ended.

Current information can be found in our new ticker.

+++

Update from January 28, 10:30 a.m.:

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder defended the German refusal to deliver arms to Ukraine and rejected Ukrainian criticism of it with clear words.

"I very much hope that the saber-rattling in Ukraine will finally stop," said Schröder in the podcast "Die Agenda".

"Because what I have to hear there, including the accusations against Germany, because of the reasonable cancellation of arms deliveries, that sometimes knocks the bottom out of the barrel."

“Knocks the bottom of the barrel”: Schröder attacks Ukraine and gives prognosis for Russian invasion

Schröder also saw the Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine as a reaction to NATO maneuvers in the Baltic States and in Poland.

"Of course, this has implications for thinking and threat analysis in Russia itself," he said.

You have to take that into account if you are looking for a settlement with Russia.

The former chancellor does not expect a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"I do not believe that.

And I don't believe that the Russian leadership can and does have an interest in intervening militarily in Ukraine.” Schröder has been friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin since his time as Chancellor.

Update from January 28, 9:10 a.m .:

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine that Russia’s exclusion from the Swift payment system and an end to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline are possible.

“Nothing is off the table,” she said in a CNN interview on Thursday evening when asked about the relevant sanctions.

She also stressed that they are trying to find a solution at the negotiating table, but are also preparing for the worst.

As a reaction of the West to an invasion, the Swift exclusion has been discussed for some time, which is considered an economic nuclear bomb.

As a result, Russian financial institutions would be locked out of the global financial system because Swift is the world's main system for exchanging information on transactions.

However, this could also affect the European economy.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is intended to bring Russian gas to Germany bypassing the Ukraine, has been completed but is not yet operational.

The federal government had also emphasized that stopping the project could be an option.

Pentagon: Russia continues troop deployments - US President Biden consults with Selenskyj

Update from January 27, 10:05 p.m .:

According to the Pentagon, Russian troop deployments in the crisis area on the border with Ukraine have continued in the past 24 hours.

"As for Russian build-ups, we're seeing - also in the past 24 hours - another accumulation of (...) combat troops deployed by the Russians in the western part of their country and in Belarus," Pentagon spokesman John said Kirby on Thursday. 

Kirby announced further military aid to Ukraine in light of recent developments.

The next delivery will soon arrive in the crisis area.

The Pentagon spokesman left it open what kind of delivery it was.

"We are in constant communication with Ukraine about their needs and capabilities," Kirby said.

Ukraine crisis: US government announces consequences in the event of a Russian invasion

Update from January 27, 9:51 p.m.:

In the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States will finally rule out the future of the controversial Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline.

The US top candidate Victoria Nuland confirmed this to journalists on Thursday.

"If Russia invades Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 will not go into operation," the statement said.

The US government is also relying on close cooperation with the federal government on this issue.

"I think the statements coming from Berlin - even today - are very, very clear," affirmed Nulland, pointing out that the pipeline has not yet been certified or tested by the German regulatory authorities.

The already controversial Nord Stream 2 project had once again become the focus of debates in the context of the current conflicts in eastern Ukraine.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) repeatedly warned of the consequences for the pipeline in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

During a debate on the Ukraine conflict in the Bundestag on Thursday, Baerbock again threatened Moscow with a "tough answer" to a possible escalation of the conflict.

"If there is a new aggression, we have a wide range of answers, including Nord Stream 2" (see update of January 27, 3:15 p.m.).

Ukraine crisis: Biden discusses the current situation with Zelenskyj

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden will discuss the conflict by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday afternoon (local time).

As Jen Psaki, the spokeswoman for the US President, announced, it should only be about taking stock.

With a view to the Russian troop deployment in the border area, the US government had repeatedly stated that there would be no “decision on Ukraine without Ukraine” in the crisis. 

Ukraine crisis: Moscow suspends mutual military inspections - Germany also affected

Update from January 27, 5:25 p.m .:

The government in Moscow announced on Thursday that it would interrupt mutual military inspections with several member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), thereby temporarily closing an important communication channel.

Germany is also affected by the announcement.

Russian representatives should have inspected a mountain infantry brigade at the Bad Reichenhall site this week.

In its refusal, the Russian government referred to the dangers of the corona pandemic, as

reported by

welt.de.

The Ministry of Defense "takes note" of Moscow's decision, as a spokesman

told

welt.de.

The mutual inspections are based on the Vienna Document and are intended to contribute to building trust and security.

At the beginning of the week, the government in Estonia announced that Moscow had canceled an upcoming inspection.

This development gives cause for concern, especially in view of the escalating situation in eastern Ukraine.

Especially in times of an intensifying crisis, Russia distances itself from the agreement, which contributes to transparency.

Observers also consider the corona pandemic to be just a pretext for continuing the troop deployments on the Russian-Ukrainian border undisturbed.

After a canceled inspection, the Latvian defense minister spoke of a “poor excuse” that suggested Moscow had “something to hide”.

Ukraine conflict: Baerbock warns - "We have to be prepared for everything"

Update from January 27, 3:15 p.m .:

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) does not currently see the German gas supply at risk, even in the event of a Russian delivery stop. "The security of supply in Germany is guaranteed, even if we are undoubtedly still very dependent on oil and gas imports from Russia at the moment," said the newspapers of the

Funke media group

and the French newspaper

Ouest-France

according to information on Thursday .

The background is fears that Russia could interrupt its gas supplies if the Ukraine conflict escalates, for example in response to sanctions by the EU and other Western countries.

For the future, Baerbock recommended greater independence from gas imports through more green electricity.

"Enriching our energy mix with many more renewable sources is therefore an important contribution to greater energy security."

In connection with the transmission of US responses to Russian demands for "security guarantees," Baerbock told the newspapers, "We must be prepared for anything." This applies to military aggression by Russia as well as "hybrid attacks such as cyberattacks or takedown." the power supply".

It is important for her now to “use all channels for dialogue”.

Ukraine conflict - comment: Berlin politics is pure mockery

Update from January 27, 1:40 p.m .:

After weeks of hesitation, the traffic light government in Ukraine now wants to help.

But for the oppressed people in Ukraine, Berlin's politics are sheer mockery*, commented the editor-in-chief of the Münchner Merkur, Georg Anastasiadis.

Update from January 27, 1:20 p.m .:

Ukraine welcomed the continuation of talks with Russia in the Normandy format* in early February. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he sees it as "good news" and a sign of Moscow's efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis. The day before, talks at advisor level in the Normandy format had taken place for the first time in a long time. The participants in the Paris talks had agreed on a second round of negotiations at the same level in two weeks in Berlin. After the meeting on Wednesday there were "no major changes", but "the agreement to continue the talks is good," said Kuleba at a meeting with his Danish colleague.

Ukraine conflict: Baerbock suddenly no longer rules out Nord Stream sanctions - Merz provokes

Update from January 27, 12:12 p.m.:

During a Bundestag debate, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has just defended her course in the Ukraine crisis.

In particular, she responded to demands for arms deliveries to Ukraine.

"Some are now demanding that weapons be supplied," said Baerbock.

Of course, you have to “self-critically reflect” on your actions from time to time, but you have to be fully aware of turning the German government’s foreign policy course “by 180 degrees” as far as arms deliveries are concerned.

She does not want to "shut the doors to de-escalation that are opening so hesitantly." After a long time, negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would take place again, Baerbock recalled with a view to yesterday's eight-hour talks*.

"Whether something will come of it: We don't know, nobody can know.

But: If you talk, don't shoot."

Barbock announced that she would travel to the Russian-Ukrainian border again the week after next. In the event of an attack on Ukraine, Baerbock threatened a harsh response. "If there is new aggression, we have a wide range of answers, including Nord Stream 2," she said. Baerbock sharply criticized the Russian approach. "It's hard not to see it as a threat when hundreds of thousands of soldiers with tanks and guns are massed near the Ukrainian border without any understandable reason," she said. 

The CDU chairman Friedrich Merz criticized Baerbock after her statement: "There is a threat of war, Ms. Baerbock, not a football game." Putin has been systematically destabilizing the political order for 15 years. Contract killings, cyber attacks and poison attacks were part of his daily political business. This requires a "clear, unambiguous answer", which does not currently exist. The traffic light government gives a picture of "unreliability", criticizes Merz. Addressing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he said: "You don't lead, Mr. Chancellor, not in Germany and not in Europe." Those who pay so little attention to this problem increase the risk that Russia poses.

Update from January 27, 11:34 a.m .:

The Kremlin has now responded to the letter from US Secretary of State Blinken - and sees "not many reasons for optimism" in connection with the Ukraine conflict. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued a tough written rejection of Putin's demands in connection with Ukraine: The West would not agree to a NATO freeze, he said. How Russia would react to the letter was eagerly awaited.

Now there is a first answer.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax agency:.

“Yesterday you heard statements from the US Secretary of State and NATO Secretary General, in which they spoke absolutely unequivocally about rejecting fundamental concerns expressed by Russia.

Based on that, there aren't that many reasons for optimism.

But I would still refrain from any conceptual assessments.” President Vladimir Putin has already read the US letter.

Ukraine conflict: Russia sees no reason to ease the situation

Peskov initially left open exactly when Moscow would respond to the documents.

"Of course, it will take some time to analyze them." Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, looking at the US response: "There is a reaction in it that allows us to expect the start of serious talks, but about secondary issues .

There is no positive response to the main theme in this document.”

Lavrov announced that Russia will soon send an official request to the United States and all western OSCE countries, which is why they are ignoring security obligations.

Talks have already taken place between Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Moscow sees its security threatened by the eastward expansion of NATO.

In particular, the Kremlin wants to prevent Ukraine from being included in the western defense alliance.

Update from January 27, 11:05 a.m .:

The pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have asked Russia to equip them with modern weapons. The leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Puschilin, lamented "weak points" in the separatists' weaponry, according to a report by the Ria Novosti news agency on Thursday. Accordingly, Puschilin referred to Western arms deliveries to the Ukrainian army in the past few days. Kiev and its western allies have long accused Moscow of providing military and financial support to the separatists. The Kremlin has always denied this. Moscow and the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk are currently accusing Kiev of planning an offensive to recapture eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government denies this.

First report from January 27, 10 a.m.: In the Ukraine conflict, China jumps to the side of Putin - and warns the West

Washington - In the Ukraine conflict, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi jumps to the side of Russia.

In a phone call with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, he asked the West to show understanding for Russian President Vladimir Putin*.

Moscow has "reasonable security concerns" that need to be taken seriously and resolved.

Among other things, Putin is demanding that NATO rule out further eastward expansion and that under no circumstances should Ukraine be included in the alliance.

Wang Yi agrees: "Regional stability cannot be enhanced by strengthening or even expanding military alliances."

In the call with Blinken, the Chinese foreign minister called for people to "completely ditch the cold war mentality".

A “balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism” must be negotiated.

Wang also accused the US of interfering in Chinese affairs.

Washington must "stop interfering in the Beijing Winter Olympics," Wang said.

The US has announced a diplomatic boycott of the games.

With regard to Taiwan, too, Washington must stop "playing with fire," Wang said.

A terrible incident happened yesterday in Ukraine: a soldier of the Ukrainian National Guard shot at himself in a factory.

Several people died as a result.

Ukraine conflict: Russia's invasion is feared

The armed conflict between the pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine has been going on since 2014.

Because of a massive Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, the West currently fears a possible Russian invasion of the neighboring country.

Russia denies any invasion plans but says it feels "threatened" by Ukraine and the West.

*afp /dpa*Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-28

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