“Merkel in an interview with the BBC: I wanted to maintain peaceful relations with Russia November 25, 19:55 Share: Angela Merkel (Photo: BBC) Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the BBC that the gas deals she made with Russia were aimed help German companies and keep peace with Moscow. She stated that Russia’s war against Ukraine would have started earlier if she had not blocked Kyiv’s entry into NATO in 2008”, — write on: ua.news
Merkel in an interview with the BBC: I wanted to maintain peaceful relations with Russia Angela Merkel (Photo: BBC)
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told the BBC that the gas deals she struck with Russia were meant to help German companies and keep peace with Moscow. She said that Russia’s war against Ukraine would have started earlier if she had not blocked Kyiv’s entry into NATO in 2008, writes BBC Europe editor Katya Adler. NV publishes material within the framework of an information partnership.
Angela Merkel led Germany for 16 years. It was in power during the financial crisis, the migration crisis of 2015 and, most importantly, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014.
Was she too soft on Moscow? Was it too slow to help Kyiv? Would there be a war now if it had not blocked Ukraine’s membership in NATO in 2008?
Would Putin have attacked earlier?
In an interview with the BBC in Berlin, Merkel strongly defended her actions as chancellor.
In her opinion, the war in Ukraine would have started earlier and, most likely, would have been worse if Kyiv had started the path to NATO membership in 2008.
“We would see a military conflict even earlier. It was absolutely clear to me that President Putin would not stand aside and watch Ukraine join NATO, Merkel said. — And then Ukraine as a state would definitely not be as prepared as it was in February 2022.”
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, does not agree with this opinion.
He called Merkel’s decision on NATO, which was supported by then French President Nicolas Sarkozy, clear “miscalculation”, which inspired Russia.
Merkel, 70, who retired from politics three years ago, also expressed concern about Vladimir Putin’s repeated threats to use nuclear weapons.
“We must do everything possible to prevent the use of nuclear weapons,” said the former chancellor.
“We must not be paralyzed by fear, but we must also recognize that Russia is the largest, or, along with the United States, one of the two largest nuclear powers in the world, she said. “This potential is frightening.”
Merkel, who recently published her memoirs entitled “Svoboda” says that she did everything in her power to ensure peaceful cooperation with Russia.
Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine just months after she left office.
This prompted a thorough review in Europe of energy policy, diplomacy with Russia, as well as the migration policy that has become the norm under Merkel’s rule.
Under Merkel, Germany and its energy-intensive large industrial enterprises have become dependent on Moscow. The country has built two gas pipelines directly connected to Russia.
President Zelensky called cheap gas a geopolitical tool of the Kremlin.
Maintain ties with Putin
Merkel told the BBC that she had two motives for the pipelines: the interests of German business, as well as maintaining peaceful relations with Russia.
Other EU and NATO members from Eastern Europe categorically disagreed with it.
Polish MP Radoslav Vogel said that German gas money filled Russia’s military coffers and was used to finance the invasion of Ukraine.
For her part, Merkel insists that she tried to contain Russia’s attacks on Ukraine through diplomacy and negotiations, which she admits ultimately failed.
The former chancellor notes that a new era in Europe’s relations with Russia, “unfortunately,” began after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Angela Merkel seemed to put her country and its economic interests first when it came to buying Russian energy or during the eurozone crisis, when southern EU countries accused her of squeezing them with austerity measures to save German banks and enterprises.
But even at home, in Germany, she is now accused of being simple “presided over successive crises and failed to implement far-reaching and possibly painful reforms to secure the future of her country and the EU.
During the time of Angela Merkel, Germany became dependent not only on Russia in energy matters, but also on China and the USA in trade. These decisions have not stood the test of time.
Donald Trump, who will return to the White House in January, has threatened to impose tariffs on imports.
What advice can Merkel give to current leaders regarding interaction with the American president?
“It’s really important to know your priorities, to be clear about them and not be afraid, because Donald Trump can be very direct,” she says.
“He speaks very clearly. And if you do it in the same way, there is a certain mutual respect. In any case, that was my experience,” adds the former chancellor.
But European leaders facing the US, China and Russia have their own fears — perhaps greater than under Angela Merkel.
The economy is sluggish, voters are dissatisfied, traditional politics are under pressure from the extreme right and extreme left.
China and Russia are more aggressive, and the West is weakening on the world stage.
Wars continue in the Middle East and Europe, and Donald Trump appears less interested in strengthening European security.
Perhaps that is why Angela Merkel says that today, when world leaders, whom she is good with hires, they call her for advice, she answers with joy.
But when I ask if she misses that kind of power and politics, she quickly says, “No, not at all.”