Address by the Federal President A. T!
On a day of national mourning, Joachim Gauck (82) warned against threats from Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin (70). Even if Russia has nuclear weapons, Germany should expand its support for Ukraine — not bow to Russian threats.
The strike: Gauck differed significantly in tone and content from his successor, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (66), who as foreign minister was still criticized for his Russia policy.
Gauck: Germany must end “Putin’s murderous actions”!
In his speech in Sinzig, Rhineland-Palatinate, Gauck made it clear that Russia “also poses an immediate threat to us” because of its nuclear weapons. However, control is not an option. On the contrary. Gauk called for “everything possible to put an end to Putin’s murderous actions.”
The former federal president made it clear that Germany has not yet exhausted its possibilities and can support Ukraine even more. Citizens and politicians must ask themselves “repeatedly”: “What more can we do for victims of attacks?”
Has had a clear stance on Russia over the years: former federal president Joachim Gag
The differences with Steinmeier cannot be ignored.
The current federal president declared on October 28 that Russia’s war against Ukraine was something to be done, but urged caution. “This war is about us,” Steinmeier said. But it was “important” that Germany was “not at war” and did not want “that to change”. “Expansion of war” must be prevented.
The truth is: Cock and Steinmeier have been following the same anti-Russia trend for years.
︎ When Putin annexed Crimea in violation of international law in 2014 and launched a covert war in eastern Ukraine, Kak warned that the Kremlin had “broken” its partnership with the West. He warned against making concessions to Russia: it would “most likely increase the appetite of the aggressors”.
︎ A completely different Steinmeier: in 2015 he declared that “security will exist only against Russia” and talked about integrating Russia into the European security framework. Steinmeier stuck with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline until Russia invaded Ukraine.
Federal President Steinmeier in the Bundestag on Sunday
This difference still exists today!
︎ Regarding Russia’s attack on February 24, 2022, Gauk said that “they woke up in horror when it became clear to all of us: Russia is attacking all of Ukraine.” Meaning: Gauck clarifies that Russia did not start the war in February, but attacked all of Ukraine. Russia has been waging war in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
︎ Steinmeier, by contrast, tries to portray the period before February 24 as a time of peace – perhaps to cast his own political failure in a different light. They “relied on international cooperation and played by the rules,” Steinmeier said. “Then February 24 came. On February 24, Putin broke the rules and ended the game.
Melnik praises Gauk: “a real politician”
Unlike his successor, Gauk makes it clear that Russia’s war is aimed at Germany. “It is no secret that Russia is fighting against our democracy, against our way of life, against our freedom,” Gauk said. The Federal Republic must do everything to help “stop Russia in its imperial madness.”
Gauk’s speech was praised by: Andriy Melnyk, former ambassador to Ukraine
Gauk’s speech was immediately recorded in Ukraine. Andriy Melnyk (47), former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, told BILD: Gauck “is a real politician with a backbone”, and “principle and vision, especially in relation to this brutal Russia”.
Melnik said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (64, SPD) was “well-advised” to “follow Joachim Gag’s moral call and put Putin’s war criminals in their place”: by supplying Ukraine with all the weapons from Germany to drive out the Russians. Invaders as soon as possible”.
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