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Germany stands by Ukraine, "regardless of what my German voters think," says Baerbock


Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expects protests against high energy prices in autumn and winter. However, the Greens politician rejects a change in Ukraine policy due to pressure from the streets. Baerbock's statement caused a heated debate.

According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), possible protests about high energy prices in autumn and winter will not lead to the lifting of sanctions against Russia.

"If I make a promise to the people of Ukraine: 'We will stand by you as long as you need us', then I will keep that promise. No matter what my German voters think. But I will support the people of Ukraine as promised,” said Baerbock after the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers at a panel discussion in Prague on Wednesday.

She is aware that with the upcoming winter time there will be further challenges for politics: "People will take to the streets and say that they cannot pay their energy prices." Social measures must be taken to counteract this, but she will not say that the sanctions against Russia must be lifted.

"We will stand with Ukraine, and that means that the sanctions will be maintained in winter, even if it becomes very difficult for politicians," said the Greens politician.

The AfD and the Left accused the Green politician of disregarding the will of the voters. Criticism also came from the CDU, on Twitter #BaerbockRuecktritt (Baerbock quit) was one of the most used hashtags in Germany on Thursday.

According to the Federal Foreign Office, criticism of Baerbock's statement was promoted by pro-Russian disinformation. "The classic: a video edited together to create meaning, boosted by pro-Russian accounts and the instant cyber court is ready, ready-made disinformation," Peter Ptassek, Ministry Commissioner for Strategic Communications, wrote on Twitter on Thursday. “Are we going to split up so cheaply? I don't think so." His tweet was shared by the Foreign Office's official Twitter channel.

Baerbock proposes strategic realignment of Russia policy
Baerbock had previously campaigned for a strategic realignment of the EU's Russia policy at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers. The Foreign Minister's proposal comprised four points: strengthening one's own defense capacity, supporting Russian regime opponents, supporting Ukraine, and cooperation with global partners in defending international law.

The concept, which the member states received as a basis for discussion, also acknowledges that support for Ukraine comes at a price, which is likely to rise again. Strategic communication efforts should therefore aim to show how support for Ukraine will increase Europe's security in the long term and why sanctions are necessary and efficient.

The text also states what the aim of supporting Ukraine should be. "In order to prevent future aggression, Russia's war against Ukraine must turn into a strategic failure," says the classified paper, which is available to the German Press Agency. This failure is defined in the broadest sense and it also includes a decoupling from Russia in the field of energy.

Most recently, in 2016, the EU agreed on five common principles for dealing with Russia. Even then, she resolved to strengthen resilience to threats from Russia.

Source: Welt
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