Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s criticism of calling her 2008 decision to block Ukraine from immediately joining NATO a “miscalculation.”
Defending her decision, she said, “In view of the atrocities uncovered in Bucha and other places in Ukraine, all efforts by the government and the international community to stand by Ukraine’s side and to bring an end to Russia’s barbarism and war against Ukraine have the former chancellor’s full support.”
Merkel said that the organisation made the decision because it found that the political conditions were not met at that point.
“I invite Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Sarkozy to visit Bucha and see what their policy of concessions towards Russia has led to in 14 years. See with your own eyes the tortured Ukrainians and Ukrainian women,” Zelensky had said in a night-late address.
Merkel was Germany’s first female chancellor. She was also a driving force behind EU sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.
She had retired from politics late last year after four consecutive terms in power. Experts believe that her detente policy towards the Kremlin leader left Germany and Europe vulnerable.
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“My adherence to Nord Stream 2 was clearly a mistake,” said German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He had served as Foreign Minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel before being elevated to the presidency.
“We were sticking to a bridge in which Russia no longer believed and which other partners had warned us against.”
“We failed to build a common European house,” Steinmeier said. “I did not believe Vladimir Putin would embrace his country’s complete economic, political and moral ruin for the sake of his imperial madness,” he added.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Tuesday that “we are looking at what solutions there are, together with the EU, NATO and in particular the G-7 partners.”
She dismissed criticism that Germany is not doing enough to arm Ukraine, saying “there aren’t many other countries that have supplied more (weapons).”
(With inputs from agencies)
