Baerbock: Putin believes his own lies in the Ukraine war – “does not listen to my chancellor”

Created: 04/01/2022, 20:26

By: Cindy Boden

Baerbock accuses Putin of believing his own lies.

And Scholz also talks about his thoughts on the Russian ruler in the Ukraine war.

News ticker.

• Ukraine conflict

  *: Olaf Scholz believes that Putin is not properly informed about the course of the war

  (update from April 1, 1:38 p.m.).

  Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirms Scholz and makes serious allegations of Putin on CNN

  (update from April 1, 7:14 p.m.).

• Wladimir Klitschko met the Chancellor in Berlin

  (update from April 1, 2:55 p.m. and 4 p.m.).

• The federal government is apparently considering expelling Russian diplomats suspected of espionage

  (see update from April 1, 5:20 p.m.).

• This

  news ticker on Germany's reactions to the Ukraine war

  is continuously updated.

  More background on the Ukraine crisis*.

Update from April 1, 7:14 p.m

.: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of starting the Ukraine war with lies and misinformation.

She told CNN, "This false narrative that he's telling the world, he obviously believes himself."

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) accuses Putin of believing his own lies © Michael Kappeler/dpa

Scholz and Macron have already confronted Putin about it.

"But obviously he doesn't listen to my chancellor, nor to other international partners," said Baerbock.

She therefore assumes that the few people with direct access to Putin did not dare to tell him the truth about the situation in Ukraine, "in particular that his troops are not nearly as successful as expected," added Baerbock.

German reactions to Ukraine war: Government apparently wants to expel Russian diplomats

Update from April 1, 5:20 p.m

.: The German federal government is apparently considering expelling diplomats from Russia in the course of the Ukraine war.

As the

claims to have learned, a "significant number" of Russian embassy employees suspected of espionage could be expelled from Germany.

The Foreign Office said it was in the process of coordinating with European partners, but would not provide any precise information about upcoming actions.

The Interior Ministry, the Foreign Office and the Chancellery do not yet have the necessary agreement.

According to

, such expulsions of ambassadors are controversial within the government because they could possibly result in the same measures from Moscow.

In addition, the espionage activities are known to the Federal Intelligence Service and can currently be well monitored.

Apparently, Moscow is already expecting deportations: several members of embassies and consulates have been prepared to leave the country.

The German Ambassador in Moscow, Géza von Geyr, is currently in Berlin for consultations.

Update from April 1, 4:38 p.m .:

The Ministry of the Interior has counted the bunkers in which citizens in Germany * would find space in the event of a dangerous situation.

The result is sobering.

Germany and the Ukraine war: Melnyk ready to talk after a scandal at a solidarity concert

Update from April 1, 4:08 p.m .:

The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, is ready for a conversation with the Office of the Federal President after the scandal surrounding a solidarity concert for his country in Bellevue Palace.

"Of course I will accept the offer of talks in the next few days," he told

.

The new head of the foreign policy department in the President's Office, Wolfgang Silbermann, invited the ambassador to a personal meeting before the concert - but according to dpa information, he received no direct answer.

Despite his declared willingness to talk, the ambassador in

continued to dish out against Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The concert was "a cheap PR campaign" by the Federal President.

"Should I smile and clap against Ukrainian civilians in the middle of Russia's war of annihilation, maybe even take selfies with Russian musicians?

What is 'bridge builder' Steinmeier thinking?” German-Russian relations are apparently the “golden calf” for him.

Ukrainian Ambassador Andrij Melnyk in Berlin at the end of March © Carsten Koall/dpa

Scholz receives Klitschko during the Ukraine war: "The talks are over, now we have to act"

Update from April 1, 4 p.m.:

During his visit to Berlin, former boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko also met Chancellor Olaf Scholz

.

The SPD politician received the Ukrainian Klitschko on Friday in the Chancellery, as government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.

Klitschko then explained on the

television channel that the conversation had been friendly.

"The talks have been held, now action must be taken." In some cases, it is already so far.

Although he has no political status, he met almost everyone in key positions during his stay in Berlin.

Germany's role in the Ukraine war: Klitschko in Berlin with Chancellor Scholz

Update from April 1, 3:34 p.m .:

The Bavarian Greens are demanding a three-month speed limit because of the Ukraine war.

The reason: they want to save energy.

Luisa Neubauer also agrees.

Update from April 1, 2:55 p.m .:

Wladimir Klitschko is currently in Germany to hold talks to help Ukraine.

Now he has also met Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reports the

and published a photo of the two.

According to the information in the newspaper, Klitschko is said to have already spoken to Finance Minister Christian Lindner, Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt.

The Ministry of Finance posted pictures of the talks with the special delegation from Ukraine on Twitter.

In an interview with the

, Klitschko described the drastic situation in his country *.

Germany and Ukraine: Ampel wants to “thoroughly check” Putin’s signed decree on gas payments

Update from April 1, 2:45 p.m .:

The new Russian requirements for payment of gas deliveries to EU countries continue to cause guesswork.

The federal government will "thoroughly examine" and evaluate the decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, said a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Economics on Friday in Berlin.

Most of the gas supply contracts concluded with Russian companies provide for payments in euros or dollars - from the point of view of the federal government, this is "the basis" of the contractual relationship.

Putin signed a decree on Thursday, according to which ruble accounts with the Russian Gazprom Bank are required for gas deliveries to EU countries from this Friday.

The gas must be paid for through these accounts.

According to the decree, deposits can be made in foreign currencies and the bank, a subsidiary of the state-owned energy company Gazprom, converts them into rubles.

"The federal government is currently examining this decree for the specific effects," said the ministry spokeswoman.

In our series on alternative energy resources, we use data to analyze how Russian oil can be phased out.

Germany and Ukraine: Federal prosecutor files charges against Bundeswehr reserve officer

Update from April 1, 2:26 p.m .:

The federal prosecutor’s office has brought charges against a reserve officer in the Bundeswehr, who is said to have spied for a Russian secret service.

Ralph G. was deputy head of a district liaison command and was a member of several German business committees, the authority said on Friday in Karlsruhe.

Between 2014 and 2020 he is said to have leaked documents and information to the secret service.

Update from April 1, 2:13 p.m .:

According to the federal government, the planned nine-euro ticket for local public transport may start in a month.

There are "various signals from the countries that tell us that a start on May 1st is possible," said a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Transport on Friday in Berlin.

Germany's position in the Ukraine war: Scholz is convinced "that Putin is not properly informed"

Update from April 1, 1:38 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz assumes that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not know all about the situation in Ukraine *.

He was convinced "that the Russian President is not properly informed," said the SPD politician in the podcast "Germany 3000 - a good hour with Eva Schulz".

And: “That his own services also withhold many truths from him.

For example, how many Russian soldiers died in this war.”

In the podcast, Scholz emphasized that no matter how the conflict ends, Russia cannot emerge as a winner.

"This war is not only destroying Ukraine, but also the future of Russia," said the Chancellor.

Without a peaceful solution, Russia would have no chance of sensible economic development for decades to come.

The podcast episode is to be published on Sunday in the ARD audio library, among other places.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a cabinet meeting © Jens Schicke/Imago

Germany is helping Ukraine with millions of euros to accommodate internally displaced persons

Update from April 1, 1:17 p.m .:

The federal government is supporting Ukraine with additional millions in accommodating internally displaced persons.

Aid for the creation of housing is to be increased from around 20 to around 50 million euros, as Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) agreed on Friday in a video conference with Ukrainian Minister for Municipal and Territory Development Oleksiy Chernyshov.

While almost four million people have left Ukraine, more than six million people have stayed in Ukraine and are therefore internally displaced.

Supplying these people with electricity, water and housing poses enormous challenges for the Ukrainian municipalities.

Germany's role in the Ukraine war: Lambrecht approves further delivery of arms

Update from April 1, 12:51 p.m .:

There is a lot of fuss about Germany’s arms deliveries to Ukraine – Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht (SPD) is under pressure*.

Now, according to a report by

, she is said to have approved another delivery of weapons to the Ukrainian army.

These are 58 armored personnel carriers that originally came from the stocks of the National People's Army of the GDR.

These are said to be currently owned by a Czech company, which in turn is now aiming to sell them to the Ukrainian army.

According to the report, however, a German permit is required for this, which has now been granted, a spokesman for the Ministry of the

.

Christine Lambrecht (SPD), Federal Minister of Defense on March 31 in front of media representatives © Seth Wenig/dpa

Putin's "perfidious strategy"?

Özdemir sees hunger as a "weapon" - FDP wants to examine brown coal comeback

First report :

Berlin – rising prices are currently a consequence of the Ukraine war* that can be felt in Germany.

Ukraine and Russia account for around 30 percent of grain exports worldwide.

Deliveries have fallen drastically because of the fighting and closed ports in Ukraine, as well as the sanctions against Russia.

It will be expensive for people in Europe, and people in poor regions of the world are threatened with starvation.

The western allies announced a few days ago that they want to alleviate the impending food shortage in developing countries.

Ukraine and Germany: "We have enough to eat"

Hesse's Environment Minister Priska Hinz (Greens*) said on Thursday (March 31) during a debate in the state parliament on Hessian agricultural policy that there was no food crisis in Germany.

"We have enough to eat," she emphasized.

If people are currently increasingly reaching for flour and oil in the supermarket, then that is lacking in solidarity - but not a sign of a crisis.

Currently, many fuel depots are at least severely damaged in the attacks in several regions of Ukraine.

Observers therefore fear that the important agricultural exporter Ukraine could run out of fuel when sowing begins.

Ukraine-News: Germany's Minister of Agriculture condemns Putin's "perfidious strategy"

Cem Özdemir (Greens), Federal Minister of Agriculture and Food, speaks in the Bundestag (archive image).

© Thomas Trutschel/photothek.de/Imago

Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir* condemned the methods of Russia's President: "Putin uses the shortage of food as a weapon.

It doesn't kill as directly as its bombs, but hunger in the poorest countries will increase," the Green Minister told

.

"We condemn this perfidious strategy with which Putin* is taking people hostage worldwide."

Germany is now supporting the people of Ukraine.

“More than 4,000 pallets of relief goods have reached the border areas with Ukraine via our coordination office.

And in the future it will also be about helping agriculture get back on its feet there, we are ready for that, ”Ozdemir also explained to the newspaper.

You can read more about the military events in Ukraine in our news ticker.

Ukraine-News: The end of lignite was stipulated - but the FDP does not want any "bans on thinking"

Another topic Germany is currently dealing with is energy supply.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck* (Greens) has his hands full.

For example, Putin wants to have gas deliveries paid for in rubles by decree.

The designated FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai has now also got involved in the discussion about this energy crisis.

He spoke out in favor of examining a longer use of lignite.

Although the traffic light coalition agreement states that the phase-out of coal-fired power generation should “ideally” succeed by 2030, the consequences of the Ukraine war make ideal solutions very difficult, Djir-Sarai told the

.

"We should urgently check whether we will be dependent on lignite longer than previously planned." And: "We Germans shouldn't act as if we had the wisdom of the energy transition."

The German special path in the energy transition is "extraordinarily demanding" - even without the economic burdens caused by Corona and the Ukraine war.

"Therefore, we must not impose any bans on thinking." Meanwhile

Habeck did not completely rule out the turnaround in nuclear power plants with “Markus Lanz”.