Merkel defends her Russia policy: No apologies and clear words about Putin

Created: 06/07/2022, 22:15

Under the motto "So what is my country?" Former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) will answer questions from the journalist and author Alexander Osang in the Berliner Ensemble.

© Fabian Sommer/dpa

In her first major interview, Angela Merkel asked herself critical questions about her Russia policy.

She declined an apology.

Berlin - Former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has defended her Russia policy during her 16-year tenure against criticism of the escalating Ukraine conflict.

In her first major interview since leaving office on Tuesday evening in Berlin, she rejected an apology for the policy, which many criticized as being too lenient towards Russia.

"Well, I don't see that I have to say now: That was wrong, and I will therefore not apologize," said former Chancellor Merkel in the Phoenix interview.

Merkel admitted that Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 could have been dealt with more harshly.

However, one cannot say that nothing was done at the time.

She referred to Russia's exclusion from the group of leading industrial nations (G8) and NATO's decision that every country should spend two percent of its gross domestic product on defense.

She was not "naive" in dealing with Russia.

Merkel also defended that in 2008 she opposed the eastward expansion of NATO to include Ukraine and Georgia.

If NATO had given the two countries the prospect of accession at the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin could have done “enormous damage in Ukraine” back then.

"I don't have to blame myself for not trying enough," Merkel said when asked to what extent she was able to help prevent an escalation with Russia.

“Fortunately, I tried enough.

It's a great sadness that it didn't work out."

Merkel is clear: deterrence "the only language that Putin understands"

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) also advocated strengthening military deterrence against Russia.

"It's the only language that Putin understands," said Merkel on Tuesday evening in Berlin in an interview broadcast by TV station Phoenix.

She rejected responsibility for the lack of investment in the Bundeswehr - and indirectly assigned it to the former coalition partner SPD.

"Now I'm so glad that we've finally decided, now that the whole world has armed drones, that we'll buy some too.

And it wasn't my fault that certain other things couldn't take place," Merkel said.

And: "It was a very tough struggle to invest in military deterrence at all."

Angela Merkel (CDU) has also rejected allegations of naivety in dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Putin's hate, Putin's - yes, one has to say - enmity goes against the western democratic model," said Merkel on Tuesday evening in Berlin at her first major public appearance since the end of her chancellorship.

She was “not blue-eyed or anything”, but warned: “You know that he wants to destroy Europe.

He wants to destroy the European Union because he sees it as a precursor to NATO.”

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She said she didn't want to apologize.

“Diplomacy isn't wrong if it doesn't work.

So I don't see that I have to say now: That was wrong, and I won't apologize for that either."

Merkel caused a laugh when she answered the question of whether Putin wanted to make her happy by bringing a dog to a meeting.