Baerbock threatens Russia with a Nord Stream 2 stop - and gives an insight into talks with Putin's minister

Created: 2022-01-28Updated: 2022-01-28 12:13 p.m

By: Anna-Katharina Ahnefeld

The Ukraine crisis worries Foreign Minister Baerbock like no other conflict.

She remains true to her stance on dealing with Russia – and defends the traffic light course.

Berlin – No other topic has accompanied Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) so much since she took office as the Ukraine crisis.

No other global conflict is tugging at the new traffic light government like the Russian saber-rattling on the Ukrainian border.

Berlin is particularly close to the issue of the Ukraine crisis, but also because of Nord Stream 2: while Chancellor Olaf Scholz* (SPD) still spoke of “private economic interests” in the controversial Baltic Sea pipeline, Baerbock was already putting the gas pipes on the negotiating table.

"Since I took office, I have spoken about no other country as much as about the security of Ukraine," the Green politician recently admitted.

Ukraine crisis: Baerbock threatens to stop Nord Stream 2 and defends course – “Who talks, doesn’t shoot”

On Friday (January 28) she followed up with new insights and outlooks: In Baerbock's view, Ukraine's NATO membership is not currently under discussion.

"Everyone, including Russia, knows that this is not currently on the agenda," said Baerbock * the newspapers of the

and the French newspaper

.

"That's why I had a long discussion with the Russian foreign minister in Moscow about what we are actually arguing about," she added, referring to her visit to Lavrov.

“I explained that international law and the joint agreements apply to me, and they say: common security with free choice of alliance.” But she also made it clear “that we are happy to go through every sentence of the various European treaties again “.

If you talk, don't shoot.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

In a Bundestag debate on Thursday, January 28, Baerbock firmly defended the course of the traffic light government against criticism - especially from the Union and the designated CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

There was malice the day before when it was announced that Germany would deliver 5,000 military helmets to Ukraine* – Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht called this a “strong sign”.

Nevertheless: Baerbock continues to rely on its political mantra dialogue and hardness.

"Whoever talks, doesn't shoot," she made clear in the Bundestag.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) is waiting at the Federal Foreign Office at the beginning of the joint statement with Dutch Foreign Minister Hoekstra.

Hoekstra had come to the capital for talks.

© Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

There is close coordination with EU and NATO partners, emphasized Baerbock in the debate.

Military action against Ukraine would have “massive consequences” for Russia.

The range of options also includes consequences for Nord Stream 2. The minister made it clear that she is relying on a different form of "weapon": unity between the partners in dealing with the Ukraine crisis and the Kremlin.

"Germany, and you don't need to wipe that away" - an indirect reference to the demand to lift the current arms export ban - "Germany also supports Ukraine militarily," said Baerbock.

She went into the previously ridiculed protective helmets.

These were a wish of Ukraine.

Ukraine crisis: Merz addresses Chancellor Scholz – Baerbock criticizes “pithy sayings”

It is right "in difficult situations to always reflect on one's actions self-critically," said Baerbock, but one should not "close doors to de-escalation, which are opening so hesitantly at this very moment," she said again for the first time held Normandy format between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany*.

The leader of the criticism that day was the new CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

Above all, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was reluctant to make statements about Ukraine, was caught in the crossfire.

"You don't lead, neither in Germany nor in Europe," Merz accused him.

Here, too, Annalena Baerbock acted as the Chancellor's defender and resolutely smashed the ball back: "We are experiencing a time when pithy sayings sound good, but steep passes could have the most severe consequences."

Baerbock: Discussed reason for dispute in Ukraine conflict with Russia – embassy staff remain in Kiev

In contrast to the USA and Great Britain, Germany does not want to reduce its embassy staff in the Ukrainian capital Kiev at the moment.

"Like our EU partners, we have currently decided not to reduce the embassy staff in Kiev," Baerbock said.

If family members of embassy employees want to leave the country voluntarily, they can do so at the expense of the Federal Foreign Office.

Especially now it is important not to destabilize Ukraine, stressed Baerbock.

"If economic actors have the feeling that the situation in Ukraine as a whole is uncertain or unstable, the willingness to invest will decrease." That would "play into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin," emphasized the minister.

"That's why my message was in Kiev: We want to expand economic cooperation with Ukraine.

For example through energy partnerships, for example in the field of 'green hydrogen'.”