Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has defended economic relations with Russia despite the Russian attack on Ukraine.
"I do believe that we need economic ties with Russia," Kretschmer said in a live interview with SPIEGEL editor-in-chief Melanie Amann.
According to Kretschmer, Russia must “also be dependent on Europe to a certain extent”.
It is wrong to sever all relations with Russia.
One must strengthen those there who have a “Western view”.
A Russia without European connections would be “unpredictable”.
In recent years, the Saxon Prime Minister has campaigned for better relations with Russia and has also called for the economic sanctions against Russia that were imposed due to the annexation of the Crimea peninsula to be lifted.
Kretschmer does not want to completely give up the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, which has now been stopped.
Most recently, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) described the project as a "mistake" in a SPIEGEL interview.
Kretschmer sees it differently, but at the same time he emphasized that Germany needs its “own strength”, also in the energy supply.
Dependence on Russia must be “much, much less”.
Even after the atrocities at Butscha, Kretschmer still maintained his rejection of a complete energy embargo against Russia.
The CDU politician justified his no by saying that Germany would only harm itself by taking this step.
Cuddling with "Buddy Putin"
Last week it became known that Russian soldiers had killed hundreds of Ukrainian civilians before they left the Kiev suburb of Bucha.
Many had their hands tied, Ukraine accuses the Kremlin of targeted war crimes.
Sharp criticism of Kretschmer's attitude came from the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk.
Melnyk accused the prime minister of cuddling with his "pal Putin."
"Your outrageous pandering to this war criminal remains an eternal shame," Melnyk wrote on Twitter.
Kretschmer had previously described Melnyk's criticism of German politics as "not always appropriate".
But since Ukraine is fighting for survival, you can't "blame" Melnyk, said Kretschmer.
After new rocket attacks on refugees in Kramatorsk became known, Melnyk followed up with another tweet and described the prime minister's attitude as "pathetic".
"I invite you to go to Kramatorsk to see the true face of Russia and the 'Great Russian Culture' with your own eyes," the ambassador wrote.
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