The news of Alexei Navalny’s death also shocked the Chancellor. Anyone who advocates for freedom and democracy in Russia must fear for their lives, said Scholz at the security conference.
At the Munich Security Conference, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) warned against weakening the will to common defense in NATO. “Let me also make it clear: Any relativization of NATO’s guarantee of assistance will only benefit those who – like Putin – want to weaken us,” said Scholz on Saturday. He was obviously reacting to statements made by US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who made it clear during a campaign appearance that he would not provide American support to allies with low defense spending in the event of a Russian attack.
Scholz said in Munich that significant parts of the Russian armed forces were intact despite their own enormous losses. “Russia has been preparing its army for this war for many years and has developed new, dangerous weapon systems at all levels. The Russian economy has long been operating in war mode,” said Scholz.
“Putin has practically brought the economy, education, science and culture in Russia into line. Anyone who supports freedom and democracy must fear for their lives,” said Scholz. This is also shown by the shocking and outrageous news of the death of the opposition activist Alexei Navalny in Russian custody. Putin is also sending more and more soldiers to the front. Two years after the start of the war, everyone should be asking themselves whether enough is being done to signal to Putin that they are ready for a long period of crisis. He also said: “We must be more concerned than ever about ensuring that our deterrence meets modern requirements.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
