Putin's "silent weapon": According to Baerbock, Russia uses hunger as a weapon of war
Created: 05/19/2022, 04:57
By: Patrick Mayer, Bettina Menzel, Fabian Müller
Germany delivers 15 tanks to the Czech Republic in a ring exchange.
Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock accuses Russia of using hunger as a weapon of war.
The news ticker.
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
: Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock accuses Russia of using hunger as a weapon of war.
Arms delivery to Ukraine
: Germany is delivering 15 Leopard 2 A4 tanks as part of a ring swap.
No trip to Kyiv?
CDU leader Merz clearly criticizes the traffic light Chancellor.
This
news ticker on reactions from Germany to the Russia-Ukraine war
is continuously updated.
Update from May 18, 10:03 p.m .:
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has accused Russia of using the blockade of grain exports from Ukraine as a weapon of war.
"Russia has launched a grain war that is fueling a global food crisis," Baerbock (Greens) said Wednesday during a foreign ministers' meeting at the United Nations in New York.
Moscow does this by not only blockading Ukrainian ports, but also destroying silos, roads, railways and fields.
According to the federal government, Russia is preventing Ukraine from exporting 20 million tons of grain, most of it in the port of Odessa.
"Russia is not only waging its brutal war with tanks, missiles and bombs," Baerbock said.
"Russia is waging this war with another terrible and quieter weapon: hunger and deprivation."
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Die Grünen) during a meeting of foreign ministers at the United Nations in New York on Wednesday (May 18).
© photothek / Thomas Imo / Imago
Germany supplies tanks to the Czech Republic, enabling Czech weapons to be transferred to Ukraine
Update from May 18, 6:43 p.m .:
As part of a ring exchange, Germany wants to deliver 15 Leopard 2 A4 tanks to the Czech Republic – and thereby enable Czech weapons to be transferred to Ukraine.
"Czech Republic is supplying heavy weapons, we are helping to close the gaps with Leopard tanks from German industrial stocks," said Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) on Wednesday in Berlin.
The exchange of rings is a "very good example of how we can quickly and easily support Ukraine in its courageous fight against Russian aggression".
The Czech cabinet approved the exchange procedure on Wednesday.
According to information from the Federal Ministry of Defense, the Leopard tanks come from the stocks of the German defense industry.
In addition to the tanks, ammunition and spare parts are also to be delivered to the Czech Republic.
In addition, the Bundeswehr will support the training of Czech soldiers.
The federal government will bear the costs.
The Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicle, in the background in the middle Leopard 1 A5 and at the very back the Leopard 2 A4 model, which is now to be exchanged for a ring with the Ukraine (archive photo, 1998).
© Andreas Noll / photothek / Imago
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Military expert sees “game changer”
Bodo Ramelow accuses Scholz of acting "half-heartedly" in chasing the fortunes of Russian oligarchs
Update from May 18, 3:29 p.m
.: Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Die Linke) accuses the traffic light coalition under Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of acting “half-heartedly” in the hunt for the assets of Russian oligarchs in Germany.
"One measure to end the bloodshed in Ukraine is the confiscation of the oligarchs' assets stashed abroad," writes the left-wing politician in a guest article for the left-wing newspaper
Neues Deutschland
.
"Anyone who calls for the delivery of heavy weapons on the one hand cannot, on the other hand, insist on making the controls on 'bloody' capital flows so lax that the Federal Republic of Germany still serves as an Eldorado for such criminal activities to this day," he said Ramelow.
At the same time, Ramelow is in favor of arms deliveries to Ukraine.
"As an attacked state, international law grants Ukraine the full right of self-defense against the violator of international law - namely Putin," he wrote on his website May 10.
Left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch emphasized on Tuesday (May 17) in Berlin that he supported Scholz's "course of restraint" on arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Thuringia's head of state, Bodo Ramelow, wants to impose tougher sanctions on Russian oligarchs in the Ukraine war.
© Martin Schutt/dpa
Germany and the Ukraine War: Trittin draws a comparison between the SS and the Wehrmacht
Update from May 18, 1 p.m.:
Green politician Jürgen Trittin sees parallels between the Russian actions in Ukraine and the atrocities of the SS and Wehrmacht after the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
One is currently experiencing the return of the imperial war of conquest to Europe, said Trittin of the weekly newspaper
Die Zeit
.
"And in many places it is similar to the SS and Wehrmacht's war of annihilation against the Soviet Union."
Something is returning after 80 years, "between two countries of all things that have become victims of my father's generation," said the foreign policy spokesman for the Greens in the Bundestag.
In the interview, Trittin also spoke about his father, who was an SS Obersturmfuhrer in Russia during World War II.
Later, however, he distanced himself from his Nazi past.
Germany and the Ukraine war: US military size criticizes - "It's not enough
Update from May 18, 11:20 a.m .:
The former commander of the US Army in Europe, Ben Hodges, criticized Germany’s behavior in the Ukraine war in an interview with the weekly newspaper
Die Zeit
.
"Some Germans give the impression that they really just want to be something like a big Switzerland, so stay out of it," said the former US general.
"Today that is not enough for the most populous country in the center of Europe, the largest economic power in the EU."
Ben Hodges, ex-Commander of the US Army Europe, at a press conference in 2017. © Imago
He respects the fear of a Russian nuclear strike and understands the country's special history.
"I just don't believe that pacifism is the way to a lasting peace," said Hodges. "In my opinion, the Germans now have to rediscover who they are and who they want to be.
They still have far too little confidence in themselves.
The Second World War ended 77 years ago.”
Ben Hodges was commander in chief of US forces in Europe until 2017.
The former lieutenant general made a prognosis on the course of the war in Ukraine a few weeks ago, which, however, did not turn out as he thought it would.
Germany and the Ukraine war: Merz accuses Scholz of Ukraine
Update from May 18, 9:28 a.m .:
CDU leader Friedrich Merz accuses the federal government of intentionally delaying arms deliveries to Ukraine.
"There are obviously delay strategies in the federal government, at least one delay tactic," said Merz on the program "RTL Direkt"
(see also update from May 17, 10:01 p.m.
).
Merz pointed to public complaints from armaments companies that they were not granted export licenses for tanks.
Merz is also bothered by the rhetoric of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD): "Here you don't play with open cards," criticized Merz.
"There can be reasons not to say everything, but then the chancellor should also express it."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) during the speech by CDU chairman Friedrich Merz during the special session of the Bundestag on the Ukraine war.
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Merz recalled the cross-party decision in the Bundestag, which advocates the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend against Putin's army.
However, Scholz is talking less and less about this, criticized Merz.
Instead, he constantly warns of a risk of escalation in the Ukraine war.
"There is a risk of escalation if we don't help Ukraine," warned the CDU leader.
Putin will continue his aggressive policy "if we don't stop him".
Scholz, in turn, recently teased CDU leader Merz on TV by saying, alluding to the opposition leader's trip to Kyiv, that a visit to Ukraine should not be "just a photo opportunity".
Update from May 18, 6:26 a.m .:
After tensions in the relationship between Kiev and Berlin, Selenskyj described his telephone call with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Tuesday as “quite productive”.
Among other things, military support for Ukraine was discussed, Zelenskyy said in his daily video address.
He informed Scholz about the current military situation and its possible future development.
There were irritations in German-Ukrainian relations in mid-April.
The Ukrainian side refused a visit to Kyiv by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who they accused of once pursuing a pro-Russian policy as SPD foreign minister.
Scholz initially did not want to go to Kyiv.
According to the governments, the tensions were resolved with clarifying talks in early May.
Germany and the Ukraine war: Merz criticizes the traffic light government for "delaying tactics"
Update from May 17, 10:01 p.m .:
Doesn’t Chancellor Olaf Scholz stick to the agreements on the Ukraine war decided in the Bundestag?
At least that's what Friedrich Merz claims.
"There are obviously delaying strategies in the federal government, at least one delaying tactic," said the CDU boss on Tuesday evening on RTL Direkt.
According to Merz, the fact that companies publicly complained that no export license for tanks had been issued indicates that "the cards are not being played with open cards".
According to Merz, there could be “reasons not to say everything.
But then the Federal Chancellor should also express that.” “Too around about the issues” is “not appropriate to the matter”.
Update from May 17, 7:05 p.m .:
According to Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing, transports by rail with the help of Deutsche Bahn have begun to support grain exports from Ukraine.
The goods subsidiary DB Cargo is in the process of enabling a “rail bridge” to be able to transport large quantities of agricultural products to ports on the North Sea and the Adriatic Sea in the future, said the FDP politician on Tuesday in Berlin.
The help has begun, DB Cargo is already driving on behalf of private grain exporters from Ukraine.
Railway boss Richard Lutz spoke of two to three trains a day from the Ukraine via Poland and the corresponding terminals to Western Europe.
The background is that the export of grain via the seaports of Ukraine has come to a standstill because of the Russian war against the country.
This threatens deliveries to North Africa and Asia in particular, and problems with the food supply are feared.
As EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean recently explained, 20 million tons of grain urgently need to leave Ukraine.
The Commission had presented an action plan to bring out exports via so-called "solidarity lanes" overland.
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine war: CDU leader Merz clearly criticizes traffic light Chancellor Scholz
Update from May 17, 5:35 p.m .:
Union faction leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) has criticized statements by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) about a possible trip to Kiev.
He was "somewhat surprised" that Scholz said he "didn't want to join a group of people" who only traveled briefly to Ukraine for a "photo shoot," Merz quoted the Chancellor as saying on Tuesday.
If he meant visitors like Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) or Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), it was “strange”.
"I don't know who he meant by these 'people'," said Merz, who himself traveled to Kyiv in early May and was also received there by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In any case, he hopes that Scholz "will set off at some point and visit Ukraine," explained Merz.
This would be an important sign of solidarity.
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine War: Chancellor Scholz promises Sweden and Finland assistance
Update from May 17, 3:35 p.m .:
In view of a possible reaction by Russia to Finland’s and Sweden’s planned NATO accession, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) referred to existing assistance obligations.
Germany is already obliged by the UN charter and the EU treaty to "provide all the help and support in our power for mutual protection," said Scholz on Tuesday in Berlin.
In addition, military cooperation should now be strengthened "particularly in the Baltic Sea region and through joint exercises".
In response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden have announced that they will apply for NATO membership.
The defense alliance has given both countries the prospect of a rapid admission process.
This is important because during the transition period, candidate countries are not protected by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which governs the so-called alliance case.
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine War: Chancellor Scholz calls President Selenskyj again
Update from May 17, 3:15 p.m .:
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj again this Tuesday.
As announced by government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, the politicians exchanged views on the current military and humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
According to the information, Scholz and Zelenskyj agreed "that a diplomatic negotiated solution between Ukraine and Russia" is necessary.
To do this, Russia must end its hostilities immediately and withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine.
In addition, the Federal Chancellor and the Ukrainian President are said to have exchanged views on further support options and "agreed to remain in close contact".
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine War: NATO exercise "Wettiner Heide" with 7,500 soldiers
First report from May 17th:
Munich/Munster – In the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine war, a major NATO maneuver is taking place in the middle of Germany at the beginning of the week.
A total of 7,500 soldiers from nine different NATO alliance partners with more than 2,000 vehicles were deployed during the "Wettiner Heide" military exercise.
They practiced together at the Munster and Bergen military training areas in the Lüneburg Heath in Lower Saxony.
Among other things, it was about coordinating the various artillery formations.
The largest contingents were provided by the German Bundeswehr and the Dutch and Norwegian armed forces.
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine war: NATO with large military maneuvers in Lower Saxony
Live ammunition was used on the kilometer-wide military training area - including the Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000).
In the coming days, Germany will provide Ukraine with seven copies to defend its own territory.
As the Bundeswehr confirms, the exercise has nothing to do with current global political events.
Nevertheless, Alexander Krone, the commander of the leading NATO association, explained at an appointment with various media: "Actually, it always takes a bit until everyone from the mindset is in there.
That is not the case at all now.
Seriousness, professionalism, so this tingling, that could actually be something that is demanded of us, for which we are needed - of course that's there immediately."
Germany in the Russia-Ukraine War: Bundeswehr Panzer Brigade 2023 at the NATO spearhead
The background to the maneuver is also: In 2023, a German tank brigade will lead the so-called spearhead of NATO with a total of 12,000 soldiers.
This large military combat force should be able to be relocated within three days, including heavy equipment, anywhere in the alliance area should an alliance partner be attacked by a third country.
Just last weekend, the transatlantic defense alliance launched a week-long maneuver in Estonia - just 40 miles from the nearest Russian military base.
Moscow had been informed in advance about the exercise.
According to the
Frankfurter Rundschau
, around 15,000 soldiers from ten different countries are involved in the maneuvers not far from the border with Russia, with reference to NATO.
The exercise is titled Hedgehog.
And in the Federal Republic, too, NATO was rehearsing an emergency. Follow all reactions from and in Germany to the Russia-Ukraine war here in the news ticker.
(pm)
