Christoph Heusgen, chairman of the Munich Security Conference and former foreign policy adviser to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has acknowledged mistakes in Russian policy during his tenure. Gas has never flowed through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, “but if you ask me – yes, in hindsight that was a mistake,” said Heusgen, who also criticizes the SPD in this regard.
In 2015, the German federal government chose the German-Russian pipeline project because they wanted to phase out nuclear power quickly after the reactor accident in Fukushima, Japan, and Russian gas was the fastest and cheapest solution, Heusgen explained in the “Welt ben Sonntag”. The SPD and the economy” were “strong supporters”.
Germany has not commissioned the pipeline
Nord Stream 2 was built to transport gas from Russia to Germany. After Russia invaded Ukraine, the government in Berlin decided not to commission the pipeline.
Heusgen demanded the delivery of German Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine. Germany has “a moral obligation to support this country,” he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin expects “Ukraine’s economic and military support from the US and Europe to decrease,” he warned. Despite requests from Kiev, the German government has so far refused to hand over modern Leopard and Marder tanks to Ukraine.
Merkel’s former adviser to the European nuclear weapons umbrella
Security expert Heusgen also spoke out in favor of a European nuclear weapons umbrella. Germany should comment on France’s offer to negotiate a share of French nuclear weapons, Heusgen said, adding: “We have to take this offer and make it a European project that allows for British participation.” his own safety, “this shouldn’t be a taboo subject anymore,” argued Heusgen.
Selenskyj thanks Scholz in German
Meanwhile, at the end of the year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his support and the new direction of Berlin’s security policy – with a tweet in German. “Arms deliveries, protection for over a million Ukrainians, G7 presidency with focus on Ukraine, financial and technical assistance, EU candidate status. Thanks for the turning point, Herr @Bundeskanzler!” he wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
“May we complete it in 2023 with our joint victory,” said the head of state, referring to the turning point declared by Scholz, by which the government in Berlin had also initiated military support for Ukraine in defense against the Russian offensive war. In the face of massive Russian drone and missile attacks, Ukraine is hoping for significantly more military aid, for example in the field of air defense. Experts also believe that the country needs a lot more weapons and ammunition to defeat Russia.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
