Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s viral Europe’s “mindset” remark echoed during the Munich Security Conference, which opened on Friday (February 17). During the 17th edition of the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum last year in June, Jaishankar had schooled a journalist with a savage reply and had said that, “Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.”
The context was used by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday as he suggested a change in the so-called “mindset”. Scholz said that “Europe must get out of the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems”.
Scholz’s acknowledgement of India’s point of view as mentioned by the Indian foreign minister is of huge significance. It comes as the German Chancellor is all set to visit India from February 25 to February 26. He is likely to visit Bengaluru.
While mentioning the emerging power blocs across the world, Scholz said that he is “convinced that when we look at our world in 2050, we will see many powerful nations in Asia, in Africa and in the South of America”.
Scholz added, “It will definitely be a multi-polar world, characterised by the rule of law and not by revisionism.”
Scholz on Ukraine war
At the conference, Scholz also vowed sustained backing for Ukraine as Kyiv battles to repel Russian troops. He said, “From the beginning, our support is designed to last.” He added that allies with battle tanks available to send to Ukraine should “do so now”.
In the opening address of the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there’s “no alternative to Ukrainian victory” and he also compared Russia to “Goliath” who came to destroy their lives.
Zelensky urged allies to “hurry up” with their support for Kyiv, saying lives were in the balance.
He said: “Next year, let’s gather here in Munich for the post-war conference, for a free Europe and a free world.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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