Steinmeier about war in Ukraine: Fake unjust peace will only increase Putin’s appetite
Russian President Vladimir Putin in his imperial obsession not only violated all rules, but turned whole chessboard upside down and destroyed an entire European security order.
This was stated by the Federal President of FRG Frank-Walter Steinmeier, informs Censor.NЕТ referring to Ukrinform.
According to Steinmeier, "the sad truth is that the world is now on the way to a confrontation phase - even if it needs cooperation more than ever". "What does this mean for us in Germany? Hard years are coming, tough years... To survive in this time, we can rely on the power and strength we have gained over the past few years. And the experience we have gained in overcoming other serious crises will help us," he said.
According to Steinmeier, Germans do not need a war mentality, "but we need resilience". And this includes, first of all, strong and well-equipped armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr). "Our citizens hope for this, but also our neighbors and partners. We are a strong country in the center of Europe. We have a duty to play our part in defending the Alliance - much more so today than when others, especially the United States, stretched their arm over us. For a long time we could rely on others and we still can, but now others must be able to rely on us as well," he said.
Speaking of the feeling of "connection with Russia and its people" by many Germans, the President of Germany noted that "if you look at today's Russia, there is no place for old dreams". "Today, our countries are confronting each other. Putin leads the army of invaders, and Ukrainians defend their country, which they have been building for thirty years since independence. Russia's war of aggression has destroyed Gorbachev's dream of a "common home in Europe". It is an attack on the law, on the principles of non-violence and inviolability of borders. It is an attack on everything we Germans stand for," Steinmeier said.
Against this background, the German President assured that Germany would continue to support Ukraine "as long as it is necessary" - in military, political and financial spheres, but also in the reconstruction. Steinmeier also stressed the importance of continuing the sanctions policy against Russia, despite the negative impact of these sanctions on the German economy. "Yes, sanctions have a price, including for us. But what would be the alternative? To inactively observe this criminal attack? Just to continue everything as if nothing had happened?" he said.
Speaking about the desire for peace, Steinmeier noted that "in the face of evil, good will is not enough. "Because we have seen Russia's brutal attacks over the past eight months: vile and inhuman. The imaginary peace that rewards such actions, the peace that cements Putin's land grab, is not peace," he said.
Steinmeier added that such a "peace" would only mean the reign of terror for many Ukrainians, whose lives would be put into the hands of Russian invaders. "Even worse, such a fake peace would only increase Putin's hunger. Moldova and Georgia as well as our NATO partners in the Baltic states live in fear," the German President added.
The German President noted that Ukrainians who hide in basements every day from Russian missile attacks "also want peace, even more than we do". "But they are right when they say: the peace we seek must be a just peace. A peace that preserves the independence and freedom of Ukraine. An unjust peace is not a solution because it contains the seeds of new violence. Moreover, an unjust peace will strengthen all those in the world whose lust for power knows neither laws nor rules. This cannot be in our interests either," Steinmeier stressed.
