The war that Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging against Ukraine is also "
a war against the unity of Europe
", German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier castigated on Sunday.
“
The war that Putin is waging against Ukraine is also a war against the unity of Europe.
We must not allow ourselves to be divided, we must not allow the great work of a united Europe that we have begun so promising to be destroyed
,” he declared during a speech in Paderborn (west).
“
This war is not just about the territory of Ukraine, it is about the doubly common foundation of our values and our peace order
,” he added.
But defending these values and vouching for them also means being ready to “
accept significant disadvantages
”, underlined the German president, without giving more details on the disadvantages in question.
Read alsoEurope projects itself into the reconstruction of Ukraine
“
Are we ready for this?
We all face this question – today and in the days, weeks and months to come
,” he said.
"
Russia is not content to question the borders, it is not content to occupy the territories of an independent and sovereign neighboring state, it goes so far as to challenge the state nature of Ukraine
", a- he also accused.