Status: 02/23/2023 9:29 p.m
For Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock, securing peace and freedom in Europe is the central task of the international community. In the daily topics she also clarifies Germany’s role: “We are not at war with Russia.”
Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock sees it as a matter of defending the peace and freedom of Europe as a central task of the international community. She explained Germany’s role in an interview with the daily topics: “We are not at war with Russia.”
“We have to realize that the Russian war is an attack on our European peace order,” said Baerbock. She also wanted to make that clear in the Council of Europe. After her appearance there at the end of January, Baerbock was criticized for her statement “We are fighting a war against Russia and not against each other”.
“You’re not happy with yourself every day”
“Of course you’re not happy about yourself every day,” said Baerbock, now with a view to this performance. In Ukraine, the goal is “that the people there can live in freedom again, just like we do.”
It is about the integrity of Ukraine as a whole, said the Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. “In the end there are negotiations, and Ukraine will lead them. We will not decide on the head of Ukraine.”
Some countries see their own safety at risk
Baerbock also comments that not all states – such as South Africa and India – clearly reject the Russian war. Dependencies played a major role here. “Some worry that if they very clearly condemn the Russian war of aggression, it could endanger their own security, other countries are financially dependent,” said Baerbock.
Germany also needed time to get out of its own dependence on Russia. “Other countries do not have these resources,” said the minister.