Ukraine needs war to end, but not by peace imposed on Russian terms - Baerbock
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke about this at the annual foreign policy conference held by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"The imposed ceasefire in the current conditions, when part of Ukraine is occupied and missiles and bombs continue to fly in, is not for peace in Ukraine, but for the subjugation of the Ukrainian state. That’s because the absence of war doesn’t automatically mean peace in freedom. An imposed peace is the opposite of a just peace. Because such a concept of peace, an imposed peace, recognizes the right of the strongest and thereby violates international law," the head of the German Foreign Ministry emphasized.
The minister emphasized the importance of continued support for Ukraine because "we are also responsible for what we don’t do."
"If we have to choose between right and wrong, between aggressor and victims, then we are on the side of the law and on the side of the people. Because we do not accept anything in Europe or anywhere else in the world where borders are being altered by force and where untold suffering is inflicted on millions of people. We do not accept the fact that Vladimir Putin wants to impose on us the logic of past centuries, according to which the right of the strongest is more important than international law," the diplomat said.
The head of the German diplomatic service also spoke about the need to invest more in integrated security against the background of the violation of international law by one of the world’s largest countries.
During her speech, the top diplomat emphasized the issue of trust in Germany as a reliable partner.
"The trust of our partners in our country is one, perhaps even the most important currency of Germany's foreign policy... For us in the Federal Republic, trust is a key currency," Baerbock said.
As the head of the Foreign Ministry, she sees the strengthening of international cooperation and international law as her main task and priority of German diplomacy in 2023. For a minister, she said, it is important to be able to tell people around the world that they can count on Berlin's support. After all, at a time when war is raging in Europe, trust is common life insurance. After all, Ukraine protects in its country not only peace, but also freedom.
It should be recalled that Annalena Baerbock is one of those who call for increased aid to Ukraine, including by providing more weapons. Earlier this year, she traveled to Kharkiv, of which she spoke extensively during her speech at the Böll Foundation. Baerbock became the first Western politician to visit Ukrainian cities so close to the Russian border.
Photo: ALT
