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German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday rejected Russia’s declare that Western weapons deliveries performed a component in Moscow’s resolution to increase its navy goals in Ukraine.
In a wide-ranging interview with DW in Hannover, Baerbock stated Moscow stored altering its argument, including that it was simply “new propaganda from the Russian aspect.”
Earlier Wednesday, Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov stated Moscow’s navy goals in Ukraine now went past the Donbas.
Moderately than specializing in the jap areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, the place Russian-backed separatists have been waging an insurgency since 2014, he stated Moscow had additionally set its sights on the southern areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
He added that Russia’s goals would increase additional if the West retains delivering long-range weapons such because the Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs (HIMARS) to Kyiv.
“Russia is utilizing each time a special argument. This time it’s due to the navy assist, they’re saying. However they’ve been attacking Kyiv and different elements of Ukraine earlier than,” Baerbock stated.
After launching its invasion on February 24, Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and different cities, earlier than refocusing its offensive on the jap Donbas area. On the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied any intention of occupying Ukrainian territories, saying his goal was to demilitarize and “denazify” the nation.
Baerbock stated Germany would “assist Ukraine not solely with solidarity, not solely by mentioning daily that this can be a elementary breach of worldwide legislation by Russia, but additionally with navy assist, to allow them to self-defend their nation, their territory.”
She stated this was a joint effort by all NATO member states, including that Germany and the Netherlands have been delivering howitzers, others ammunition and air missile protection methods “hopefully” by the tip of summer time.
Germany should not be blackmailed
1000’s of individuals have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced since Russia invaded Ukraine 5 months in the past. The conflict has additionally raised fears about meals and power provide, with grain exports from Ukraine largely blocked, and Russia decreasing gasoline deliveries to Europe.
European nations are in search of to cut back their dependence on Russian power amid considerations that Moscow might minimize off gasoline deliveries altogether. On Wednesday, the European Fee accused Russia of “blackmail” and urged EU nations to cut back demand for pure gasoline by 15% over the approaching months.
Baerbock stated Germany wanted to keep away from a repeat of the state of affairs Europe now finds itself in — being depending on an aggressor for gasoline provide.
When requested concerning the authorities’s upcoming China technique, Baerbock stated Berlin was wanting “very intensively” at its dependencies on an influence it now sees as a systemic rival.
“As a result of it is a system rival, we have now to clarify that no person can blackmail us as we have been with regard to our dependency to Russia. And that is the baseline for our new China technique — working collectively the place we are able to work collectively, however having additionally a sovereign European technique of independence in vital infrastructure, and particularly consistent with our international coverage.”
The interview was carried out by Richard Walker. Copy written by DW employees.
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