German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht on Sunday, December 19, in an interview with Bild am Sonntag, said that the FRG authorities could use threats of sanctions against Russia against the background of the situation with Ukraine.
“We must use every opportunity to stop the escalation. This includes the threat of tough sanctions, ”she said.
Answering a question from journalists about whether Berlin is ready to send Bundeswehr soldiers to support Ukraine, the head of the defense department declined to give a direct answer.
“We must exhaust all possibilities of diplomacy and economic sanctions. And all subsequent steps should be discussed in close coordination in the alliance (NATO), ”the minister said.
In addition, Lambrecht noted that she could “understand Ukraine’s fears very well” and therefore would make her first trip abroad as Minister of Defense to Lithuania. There she will visit the NATO Rapid Reaction Force to gain an understanding of “how the soldiers see the situation”.
At the same time, when asked whether Nord Stream 2 could become part of the sanctions package, she stressed that “it is necessary to use all the tools that we have.”
“Those responsible for the aggression must feel the personal consequences. For example, the fact that they will not be able to go shopping on the Champs Elysees in Paris, ”said Lambrecht.
On December 17, German Finance Minister, leader of the Free Democratic Party Christian Lindner said that the German government is invariably interested in cooperation with Russia, and the SP-2 issue is only in the legal field. He believes that the West should not use the pipeline as a means of putting pressure on Russia.
At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg received proposals on security from Russia. He noted that the alliance has clearly made it clear that it is ready to work to build confidence with Moscow.
On the same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements between Russia and the United States and NATO on security guarantees. The documents have already been transferred to Washington and its allies. As follows from the documents, in particular, the alliance should refuse to conduct any military activity on the territory of Ukraine and other states of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia.
In addition, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the involvement of Ukraine in NATO and the prospect of deploying NATO strike missile systems near the borders of the Russian Federation are an unacceptable threat to security. Moscow demands the withdrawal of the decision of the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance. However, the West is not ready for this, Ryabkov added.
As Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov is convinced, the United States, with the help of NATO partners, has exacerbated the already difficult situation in Ukraine to the limit. According to him, statements by Russian officials in Western media are censored. They make Russia an “aggressor” without having any weighty arguments, he pointed out.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
