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German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday rejected Russia’s declare that Western weapons deliveries performed an element in Moscow’s determination to increase its army aims in Ukraine.
In a wide-ranging interview with DW in Hannover, Baerbock mentioned Moscow saved altering its argument, including that it was simply “new propaganda from the Russian aspect.”
Earlier Wednesday, Russian Overseas Minister Sergey c mentioned Moscow’s army aims in Ukraine now went past the Donbas.
Slightly than specializing in the japanese areas of DonetskandLuhansk, the place Russian-backed separatists have been waging an insurgency since 2014, he mentioned Moscow had additionally set its sights on the southern areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
He added that Russia’s aims would increase additional if the West retains delivering long-range weaponssuch because the Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Methods (HIMARS) to Kyiv.
“Russia is utilizing each time a special argument. This time it’s due to the army assist, they’re saying. However they’ve been attacking Kyiv and different components of Ukraine earlier than,” Baerbock mentioned.
Afterlaunching its invasion on February 24, Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and different cities, earlier than refocusing its offensive on the japanese Donbas area. On the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied any intention of occupying Ukrainian territories, saying his intention was to demilitarize and “denazify” the nation.
‘Not a race’ on weapons provide
Baerbock mentioned Germany would “assist Ukraine not solely with solidarity, not solely by mentioning every single day that it is a basic breach of worldwide regulation by Russia, but in addition with army assist, to allow them to self-defend their nation, their territory.”
Baerbock defended Germany’s provide of weapons to Ukraine, with a latest examine placing Europe’s largest economic system in sixth place relating to weapons provision to Kyiv.
“This isn’t a race of who’s by which place in a rating,” she mentioned. “That is about frequent assist from the entire worldwide neighborhood from NATO member states to assist Ukraine.”
The minister added that Germany and the Netherlands have been delivering howitzers, others ammunition and air missile protection programs “hopefully” by the top of summer time.
Germany should not be blackmailed
1000’s of individuals have died and tens of millions have been displaced since Russia invaded Ukraine 5 months in the past. The conflict has additionally raised fears about meals and vitality provide, with grain exports from Ukraine largely blocked, and Russia decreasing gasoline deliveries to Europe.
European international locations are in search of to cut back their dependence on Russian vitality amid issues that Moscow may lower off gasoline deliveries altogether. On Wednesday, the European Fee accused Russia of “blackmail” and urged EU international locations to cut back demand for pure gasoline by 15% over the approaching months.
Baerbock mentioned Germany wanted to keep away from a repeat of the scenario Europe now finds itself in — being depending on an aggressor for gasoline provide.
When requested concerning the authorities’s upcoming China technique, Baerbock mentioned Berlin was trying “very intensively” at its dependencies on Beijing.
“As a result of it is a system rival, we now have 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 will work collectively, however having additionally a sovereign European technique of independence in essential infrastructure, and particularly in keeping with our international coverage.”
The interview was performed by Richard Walker. Copy written by DW workers.
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