Espreso. Global

German FM criticizes Scholz government over €3 billion aid delay to Ukraine

17 January, 2025 Friday
09:54

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized the government for its indecision regarding aid to Ukraine. She also condemned previous governments for their cooperation with the Kremlin

client/title.list_title

She stated this in Politico's podcast.

“Germany as a whole isn’t currently seen as a driving force for peace policy in Europe, and honestly that pains me. Even now, during the election campaign, some prioritize a national perspective — or how to quickly gain a few votes in the parliamentary election — rather than taking real responsibility for securing Europe’s peace and freedom,” Baerbock said.

The minister, who advocated for the approval of the €3 billion package, views Germany's approach to aiding Ukraine as indecisive, claiming that the German government is losing the trust of its European allies: “That trust must not be damaged again by hesitation, which could make other countries worry that Germany won’t stand by them.”

She also sharply criticized previous German governments for, in her view, ignoring warnings about the Kremlin's aggressive intentions. In particular, she criticized the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) under former Chancellor Angela Merkel and the SPD, which previously governed in coalition with the CDU, for constructing the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

“Just as Nord Stream 2 was never purely an economic project — despite what the CDU and SPD long wanted to believe — it’s also no coincidence that undersea data cables in the Baltic Sea keep getting damaged,” Baerbock noted.

In her opinion, Germany needs to invest more in its own security, including allocating more than 2% of GDP to defense: “In crisis years, that could even approach three percent,” she added.

The German Foreign Minister emphasized her willingness to cooperate with the new administration of future U.S. President Donald Trump wherever possible, “because America remains one of our closest partners and has been a friend for decades.”

“But if things become more difficult in certain areas, Europe won’t be thrown off course,” Baerbock stated.

The minister suggested that Europe might even benefit from Trump’s unpredictability, including his recent refusal to rule out the use of military force to acquire the Panama Canal and Greenland.

“I just returned from a conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And there, topics like Greenland and the Panama Canal were central issues even among our Arab partners. You can sense how absurd these claims seem to so many, and it’s precisely this absurdity that’s pushing actors like Arab nations even closer to Europe,” she concluded.

  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that he is against funding aid to Ukraine with money saved from cuts to other budget items.
Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Thursday
6 February
17:27
Russia plans to complete "renovation" of Mariupol drama theater by end of 2025
17:06
Exclusive
At least 20,000 Ukrainian civilians are being held in Russian captivity
16:42
Ukraine receives F-16 fighter jets from Netherlands
16:19
OPINION
Moscow will drag out negotiations as long as possible
16:00
Trump envoy Kellogg rejects idea of restoring Ukraine’s nuclear status
15:44
Russian drone strikes densely populated residential area in Ukraine’s Kharkiv
15:25
Ukrainian drones target 66% of Russian military equipment in January — Ukraine's top general
15:07
UK to convene Ramstein meeting on February 12
15:00
Updated
Ukrainian forces strike Russian airfield in Krasnodar region used for launching Shahed drones
14:49
Exclusive
Ukraine's future depends on attracting qualified foreign workers — Ukraine’s Confederation of Employers
14:32
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia to cut ties with Russia’s power grid this weekend
14:13
Russian forces turn to horses, donkeys for frontline supply runs
13:56
First French Mirage 2000 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine
13:37
Exclusive
Bridgehead near Dvorichna, Kharkiv region, keeps expanding — military expert
13:15
Exclusive
Russian army makes no gains in Kupyansk sector for three weeks — Ukrainian officer
12:54
North Korea using Ukraine as testing ground to improve missile accuracy
12:33
OPINION
Zelenskyy open to talks with Putin, but prospects remain dim. Vitaly Portnikov's column
12:11
Review
'Likely Palianytsia missile': strike on Russian oil refinery, cutting-edge tech Ukrainian innovators offer military. Serhiy Zgurets’ column
11:48
Exclusive
UK moves to take lead in cooperation with Ukraine — diplomat
11:29
Exclusive
Putin has no interest in negotiations, Trump must realize it fast — diplomat
11:10
Exclusive
Russia’s top strategy: provoking elections in Ukraine with temporary ceasefire — political scientist
10:51
Trump envoy Keith Kellogg to visit Ukraine on February 20 — media
10:34
90 clashes at front on Feb. 5: Ukrainian forces halt 24 Russian attacks in Pokrovsk sector
10:12
Russia loses nearly 40,000 troops in six months of Kursk operation — Ukraine's General Staff
09:35
Russia loses 1,240 soldiers, 46 artillery systems, 16 armored vehicles in one day of war in Ukraine
2025, Wednesday
5 February
21:30
Ukraine’s Defense Forces destroyed 13,000 Russian artillery systems in 2024
21:15
Zelenskyy believes Kursk operation will be key in negotiations
21:00
Exclusive
Ukraine gets weapons to exert strategic pressure on Russia
20:41
Exclusive
What Trump really meant about Ukrainian rare earth metals
20:20
Exclusive
Russian troops dig multi-story trenches hard to clear, says Ukrainian serviceman
19:54
Russia establishes new foothold on right bank of Oskil River, Kharkiv region
19:30
Explosion near Kamianets-Podilskyi recruitment center kills one, injures four
19:10
Exclusive
Killing of recruitment officer is consequence of Russia's special operations in Ukraine
18:45
Ukraine proposes storing American gas in its facilities
18:20
OPINION
Flaw in "everything was fine if not that damned Putin" narrative
17:55
Russian conscripts sent to Ukraine frontline despite Kremlin’s promises
17:30
Ukraine-U.S. cooperation goes beyond natural resources for mutual benefit — FM Sybiha
17:12
Italy's Bologna hosts protest against Russian disinformation, propaganda
16:50
Ukraine frees 150 defenders from Russian captivity
16:29
OPINION
Trump and Ukraine's rare earth metals
More news