"Instead of sitting at home": Ukraine's foreign minister asks Germans to be more willing to make sacrifices

Created: 05/17/2022, 11:25 am

By: Florian Naumann, Bedrettin Bölükbasi

The G7 are clearly speaking out towards Russia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba is asking the Germans to accept the consequences of sanctions against Russia.

News ticker.

• Ukraine conflict

  : Food crisis

  in the

  Ukraine war:

  Russia has rejected German accusations.

• Ukraine's Foreign Minister calls on Germany to renounce: Dmytro Kuleba calls on the Federal Republic to accept the consequences of the sanctions against Russia.

• The 

  G7

  have declared that they will

  “never” accept

  new borders that Russia is seeking through the war of aggression in Ukraine .

• News ticker on Germany's reactions to the Ukraine war

Update from May 15, 10 p.m.:

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on people in Germany to accept the consequences of the sanctions against Russia

According to the Bundeswehr, Ukraine only asked for artillery from German stocks

You can read more reactions from Germany to the Ukraine war in our current news ticker.

Ukraine news from Germany: "The Ukrainians explicitly demanded artillery from us"

Update from May 15, 11:05 a.m .:

According to the Bundeswehr, the government in Kiev only asked for artillery from German stocks.

"The Ukrainians explicitly demanded artillery from us," Eberhard Zorn, the inspector general of the Bundeswehr, told

.

"I currently have no other demands on my table from the Ukrainian government that affect the existence of the Bundeswehr."

The Netherlands had already promised the Ukrainian government the delivery of five 2000 self-propelled howitzers.

However, since twelve systems are required for a tactically deployable fire unit, Germany decided to complete the dozen.

“The seven systems are currently at the industry for maintenance and will be handed over to the Ukrainians after their completion.

This does not affect our obligations to NATO,” said the Inspector General.

Eberhard Zorn, Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, assures Kyiv that it will deliver seven 2000 self-propelled howitzers.

© Christoph Soeder/dpa

Zorn did not want to categorically rule out further deliveries of heavy weapons beyond the self-propelled howitzers.

"If I say no now, maybe everything will be different again in 14 days."

All deliveries of weapons are coordinated with our NATO partners, and together we ensure a constant supply.” The inspector general estimates that the risk of NATO and thus Germany being drawn into the war through the delivery of heavy weapons is low.

"Militarily, we see no signs that Putin is preparing an attack on NATO, neither with nuclear nor with conventional weapons," said Zorn.

Lack of training in the Bundeswehr: Inspector General fears large deficits

Update from May 15, 8.40 a.m .:

The Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Eberhard Zorn, has publicly worried about a lack of training among the soldiers of the Bundeswehr.

The 62-year-old fears serious training deficits as a result of the corona pandemic.

“During the Corona crisis, we provided pandemic aid for two years.

Everyone thought it was great, but it meant that, above all in the army, we were only able to train to a limited extent outside of the units that are registered for NATO obligations," Zorn told the "Bild am Sonntag" to consider.

The soldiers are currently not sufficiently trained in tactical cooperation for emergencies.

"It will take a year and a half to make up for these deficits," says Zorn.

In this context, the Inspector General supported Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), who had recently come under criticism.

"I'm a soldier myself and I personally experience the minister as open and interested in all discussions.

I haven't heard anything else from the group either.

She has a feel for our women and men,” said the 62-year-old.

Ukraine's foreign minister calls on Germany to give up - "cheaper to help someone else"

Update from May 15, 6:38 a.m.:

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on people in Germany to accept the consequences of the sanctions against Russia.

"Sometimes it's cheaper to help someone else and endure a short period of deprivation than sitting at home, watching TV and doing nothing, just allowing the problem to eventually knock on your own door," said Kuleba at "Bild television”.

Ukraine offers a fair deal, he continued: "Give us everything we need and we will contain Russia and defeat it in Ukraine so they never come knocking on your door."

Against the background of the Ukraine war, Germany had already further reduced its dependence on Russian gas supplies in recent weeks.

So far, however, the government has only promised independence from Russian gas “by mid-2024”.

Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

© Marcus Brandt/dpa-Pool/dpa

"Signs of stupidity": Russia spokeswoman takes Baerbock hard

Update from May 14, 6:10 p.m .:

Russia has rejected responsibility for the high food prices and the risk of a global hunger crisis and responded sharply to allegations by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Prices rose because of Western sanctions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel on Saturday.

," she told Baerbock.

Another reason for the global food crisis is the collapse of Ukraine's statehood - and the West is also responsible for this.

"This is partly due to the predecessors of Mrs. Baerbock, who not only interfered in the situation in the country, but also shaped Ukraine's domestic and foreign policy by hand," Zakharova claimed.

Germany in the Ukraine-Russia war: Weapons announcement by the G7 foreign ministers

Update from May 14, 4:03 p.m .:

 Germany and the other G7 countries want to deliver weapons and other military equipment to the Ukrainian armed forces for years to fight against the attackers from Russia.

"We will continue our ongoing military and defense assistance to Ukraine for as long as necessary," read a statement adopted by foreign ministers of the Group of Leading Democratic Industrialized Nations (G7).

They had previously announced that they would “never” recognize the borders that Russia had moved

We will continue our ongoing military and defense assistance to Ukraine for as long as necessary.

Statement by the G7 foreign ministers at a meeting in Weißenhaus on the Baltic Sea

However, the Ukrainian request for the delivery of western combat aircraft remains unfulfilled.

Questions about further deliveries would first have to be clarified together "down to the last detail", said Baerbock and referred to a great responsibility "in this absolutely difficult situation".

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recently indicated that supplying Ukraine with ever heavier weapons could lead to an escalation of the war and ultimately a nuclear war with Russia.

According to his information, Germany “always carefully weighs up the delivery of heavy equipment”, but at the same time does not simply do everything that one or the other requests.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Refusal to quickly transfer Russian assets to Ukraine

Update from May 14, 1:45 p.m .:

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock gives Ukraine no hope of a quick transfer of frozen Russian state funds.

"Access to frozen money is legally (...) anything but easy," said the Green politician on Saturday after a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Weißenhaus on the Baltic Sea.

There are a number of good reasons for taking this path - but sanctions and such a step in particular must also stand up to German law and the European Court of Justice.

At the meeting in Schleswig-Holstein, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba asked Germany and the other G7 countries to pass laws to confiscate Russian state assets and make them available to Ukraine for the country's reconstruction.

"We're talking hundreds of billions of dollars in Europe," he said.

Russia had to pay for the war politically, economically, but also financially.

Ukraine-News: G7 want to “never” recognize borders in Ukraine moved by Russia

Update from May 14, 12:21 p.m .:

The G7 group of leading industrialized countries has stated that it will “never” accept new borders aimed at by Russia through the war of aggression in Ukraine.

"We will never recognize borders that Russia has tried to shift through military aggression," emphasized the G7 foreign ministers in a statement published on Saturday at the end of their deliberations in Wangels, Schleswig-Holstein.

The G7 will maintain its "support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine - including Crimea - and all states," the ministers said.

They asked Moscow to stop fighting.

The G7 foreign ministers also sharply criticized Belarus' role in the Ukraine war.

The leadership in Minsk must “stop allowing Russian aggression and honor its international obligations”.

Germany in the Ukraine-Russia war: Scholz sees no change of heart in Putin

Update from May 14, 8:30 a.m .:

Two and a half months after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) sees no change of heart in Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.

He said this in an interview with the news portal

published on Saturday .

"Slowly, Putin should realize that the only way out of this situation is to reach an understanding with Ukraine." He made it clear that an agreement cannot be a dictated peace by Russia.

Scholz had been on the phone with Putin for more than an hour on Friday.

At the same time, Scholz promised Ukraine further support, for example through arms deliveries.

"Yes, we will continue.

Even with sanctions.

Because our goal is that the Russian invasion attempt fails.

That is the benchmark for our actions.” The Chancellor emphasized: “Russia and the whole world are paying a very high price for Putin’s crazy idea of ​​wanting to expand the Russian empire.” Many countries suffered from the fact that Ukraine was one of the Main suppliers of grain fail.

"It's about real hunger - not just whether there is enough sunflower oil on the supermarket shelves, as it is for us."

Germany's reactions to the Ukraine war: Faeser confirms the declining number of refugees

Update from May 14, 6:53 a.m

.: The Ukraine war is also visible in Germany through the refugees.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has now confirmed that the numbers are declining.

She told the

on Saturday: “Currently only around 2,000 refugees from Ukraine arrive in Germany every day.

In mid-March it was still 15,000 people a day.”

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) (archive image) © Britta Pedersen/dpa

About 20,000 people returned across the Polish-Ukrainian border every day, including people who had last sought protection in Germany.

Faeser therefore assumes that the majority of people will return.

But she also said: "Some will remain if people see the opportunity to gain a foothold in the German labor market with their qualifications." This remains "a great humanitarian effort.

The willingness of the German population to help is still great.

"The refugees are very well received here - nothing is tipping at the moment."

Germany in the Ukraine-Russia war: Baerbock affirms solidarity with Kyiv and asks for patience

Update from May 13, 10:55 p.m .:

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has reaffirmed solidarity with Ukraine, but at the same time asked for a little patience with the delivery of heavy weapons.

There is consensus "that we have to stand by Ukraine's side so that there are no more war crimes, so that Ukraine can defend itself," said Baerbock on Friday evening in the ARD "Tagesthemen" with a view to the current meeting of the G7 Foreign Minister in Schleswig-Holstein.

However, like many other alliance partners, Germany cannot "immediately provide support at the push of a button" in the area of ​​air defense, added the Foreign Minister.

Therefore, the allies would join forces, such as Germany and the Netherlands in the delivery of howitzers.

Regarding the chances of success of diplomatic initiatives to end the Ukraine war, Baerbock said on ARD: "Diplomacy never dies." However, since the outbreak of the Ukraine war on February 24, the world has had to experience "in a brutal way" that Russia's head of state Vladimir Putin has not kept all his promises.

In order to end the attack on Ukraine, the federal government is still "active on all channels".

Ukraine news from Germany: Habeck warns critics of military support

Update from May 13, 8:22 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has warned critics of military support for Ukraine against distorting the reality of the Russian war of aggression.

"Anyone who defames those who are helping Ukraine as warmongers is siding with the murderers," said the Greens politician on Friday in Cologne at the end of the Greens' election campaign two days before the North Rhine-Westphalian state elections.

"I have great respect for unconditional moral pacifism," said Habeck.

But he comes to a different conclusion.

If you don't help people who are fighting for their lives, who are suffering from rape and displacement, "you are at least as guilty, probably more guilty".

Habeck's speech was interrupted by protesters with whistles and horns.

Among other things, they shouted “warmongers”.

"This is a reversal of all morals," cried Habeck.

"This makes you mean to the perpetrators and despises the victims." The real warmongers in Europe are in the Kremlin.

Ukraine news from Germany: Habeck "not proud" of arms deliveries

At the same time, Habeck conceded that no one would get out of the war “morally clean”.

He, too, was "not proud" of the arms deliveries to Ukraine or the attempt to replace fossil fuels from Russia with the establishment of new fossil fuel energy relationships.

Habeck was alluding to getting away from Russian oil and gas and compensating with other supply relationships.

But this is necessary "if we don't want to continue financing Putin's war," he said.

Update from May 13, 3:20 p.m

.: Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) warned of economic stagnation with rising prices in the event of a gas supply stop from Russia.

He also held out the prospect of additional relief for citizens if inflation remained high.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz' three points after Putin's call

Update from May 13, 1:35 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz revealed details of his phone call with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin on Twitter.

“Three things from today's long phone call with Putin: There must be a ceasefire in Ukraine as soon as possible.

The claim that Nazis rule there is wrong.

And I pointed out Russia's responsibility for the global food situation," Scholz wrote in his message on the short message service.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz talks to Putin - Kremlin boss explains "logic" of the invasion

Update from May 13, 12:50 p.m .:

After weeks of radio silence, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin called each other again, according to information from Moscow.

The talks on the situation in Ukraine took place at the initiative of the German side, the Kremlin said.

According to the Russian state agency

, the focus of the call was on humanitarian issues.

Putin explained to Scholz the "logic and main goals" of the "special operation" described by Russia as such and explained measures to protect the civilian population, the agency reported, citing the Kremlin.

The Russian President also drew attention to "violations of international humanitarian law by militants who profess Nazi ideology".

Scholz' Ukraine session: Faber denies scandal - "no one feels fooled"

Update from May 13, 11:45 a.m .:

FDP politician Marcus Faber has now denied reports that he left the defense committee meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz early.

“After the end of the session, my colleagues and I left the committee meeting today.

That's why no one feels 'cheated' and no one has issued a protest note," he said in a tweet.

When relativizing it could be more about finesse.

The appointment was scheduled from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Faber told ARD.

"We, as free democrats," decided shortly after 9 a.m. to "leave the session," he said.

There were still no “answers” ​​from the Chancellor.

The

had previously reported that several FDP MPs had left the appointment out of anger at Scholz's answers.

The AFP news agency picked up the process, citing an earlier tweet by Faber that can no longer be found online.

The liberal now practiced irony.

"By the way, no objects were thrown either," he wrote with a winking emoji.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz apparently wants to call Putin

Update from May 13, 11 a.m.:

According to participants, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in the Bundestag Defense Committee that he wanted to try to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I heard, I heard clearly, that the chancellor had also announced a new initiative for talks with Putin," said SPD defense politician Wolfgang Hellmich after the hour-long meeting with Scholz.

The chancellor did this according to the motto: "Before May 9th it didn't make any sense, but we have to make a new attempt because we have to talk to each other." Without channels of communication, it would not be possible to find a solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, it has been officially confirmed that at least one FDP politician left the meeting early.

"Unfortunately, many answers were not given," MP Marcus Faber wrote on Twitter.

In the committee, the Chancellor had the opportunity "to declare himself on Ukraine," wrote Faber.

"I hope that we can catch up on this." According to information from the AFP news agency, the action was not coordinated in the FDP parliamentary group.

Elsewhere in the group, it was said to AFP that the chancellor's appearance was "okay for the first round". 

Germany and the Ukraine war: Traffic light scandal at the Defense Committee - FDP leaves session

Update from May 13, 10:20 a.m .:

When Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared in the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, there was apparently an internal coalition scandal: the FDP working group allegedly left the meeting shortly before the end of the appointment and during Scholz’s lecture.

That reports the

.

The reason was therefore annoyance at the Chancellor's evasive answers.

Scholz answered questions about the Ukraine war with information about the Global South and China's role on the world stage;

one feels "ripped off," the tabloid quoted an unnamed Liberal source as saying.

However, according to the report, there are also internal discrepancies within the FDP.

Because the chair of the defense committee is the FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann.

She had also invited Scholz, the head of government of the joint traffic light cabinet of the SPD, Greens and FDP, to the committee and allegedly does not appreciate the actions of the party friends.

The reason for this was disagreements over the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

The federal government has now agreed to provide such equipment;

Ukraine, however, continues to criticize the plans.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Greens co-founder wants "a sense of proportion" in arms deliveries

Update from May 13, 9 a.m.:

Greens co-founder Hans-Christian Ströbele urges more judgment in the debate about the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

Ströbele told the

: "There must be no automatic delivery of heavy weapons." The long-standing member of the Bundestag continued: "For many decades we tried to prevent a war between East and West.

Unfortunately, 77 years after the end of the Second World War, the risk of a full-scale military confrontation has increased again.

And that stops me from saying you now also have to supply heavy weapons that are suitable for an attack and are mostly used.”

He also commented on the Greens' weapon turnaround.

By agreeing to the delivery of heavy weapons, the Greens are moving away from the principles of the peace movement today, Ströbele said.

According to Ströbele, he would like the Greens to “above all do what you have unfortunately failed to do after previously taking part in the war, for example after 20 years of war in Afghanistan: at the latest after the end of the war against Ukraine, the Greens must have a discussion about how the radical change in green positions on this issue came about.

I hear and read with great astonishment and sometimes incomprehension that the Greens of all people are at the forefront of the pro-gun movement today.”

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz before the Defense Committee - Chancellor arrives

Update from May 13, 8:05 a.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has now arrived at the Defense Committee.

The Chancellor did not comment before entering the meeting.

Due to the explosive issues on the agenda, the Defense Committee meets behind closed doors.

Germany and the Ukraine War: Debate on the delivery of heavy weapons

First report from May 13:

Munich - With a view to the Ukraine war, hardly any other topic was discussed as much in Germany as arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The heavy fighting in Ukraine continues and is becoming increasingly violent in the east of the country.

This map shows where the Ukraine war is raging.

In order to be able to defend itself against the troops of Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian government demanded heavy weapons - also from Germany.

In a historic go, the Bundestag decided to supply heavy weapons.

In Kyiv, however, it caused outrage that the delivery was only approved around two months after the start of the war and long discussions.

The action taken by the federal government also met with criticism from some quarters in German politics.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) now wants to answer further questions about his government's course in Ukraine.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz in the Defense Committee - Chancellor answers Ukraine questions

Accordingly, on Friday morning

, Scholz will answer questions from the Bundestag's defense committee about his Ukraine policy.

The session will start at 8 a.m.

The occasion is an invitation from the committee chairwoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) in April.

She had vehemently advocated the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine and accused Scholz of hesitation on the issue.

In the meantime, the federal government has given the green light for the provision of decommissioned Gepard anti-aircraft tanks.

Berlin then also announced the delivery of seven Panzerhaubitzen 2000.

Another possible topic of the talks with Scholz could be the planned special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr.

Negotiations are underway here with the Union to enable a planned amendment to the Basic Law.

Deutschland und der Ukraine-Krieg: Warnung vor „Doppel-Krise“ - Heil skeptisch über Gas-Embargo

Weiteren Diskussionsstoff im Hintergrund der Ukraine-Krise bietet ein mögliches Gas-Embargo gegen Russland. Bundesarbeitsminister Hubertus Heil (SPD) warnte in der Debatte nun vor einer neuen Wirtschaftskrise in Deutschland. „Ein einseitiges Gas-Embargo Deutschlands gegenüber Russland etwa würde uns in eine Doppel-Krise stürzen, dann wären wir in einer Stagflation, also in einer Wirtschaftskrise und noch stärker steigenden Preisen“, sagte Heil der Rheinischen Post.

Stagflation sei „der Horror aller Ökonomen und Politiker“, fügte er hinzu. „Das gilt es zu verhindern. Und Gott sei Dank wächst unsere Wirtschaft ja immer noch“, so Heil. Falls die Lage „wirtschaftlich eskaliert“, werde die Bundesregierung handeln und etwa die Kurzarbeit weiter verlängern, erklärte der SPD-Minister.

Auch der Präsident des Deutschen Industrie- und Handelskammertages (DIHK), Peter Adrian, warnte vor den Auswirkungen eines möglichen Stopps der Gaslieferungen aus Russland. „Die Bundesregierung muss alles daran setzen, Sicherheit bei der Energieversorgung in Deutschland zu gewährleisten“, sagte Adrian der Rheinischen Post. „Denn ein Ausfall russischer Gaslieferungen würde nicht nur die energieintensive Industrie stark treffen“, unterstrich der DIHK-Präsident. (bb mit AFP)