German foreign minister defends refusal to send arms to Ukraine
"Whoever talks, doesn't shoot. It is therefore fatal to simply dismiss the resumption of dialogue," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, apparently referring to fresh exchanges between Washington and Moscow, as well as talks by Ukrainian and Russian policy advisors in Paris on Wednesday.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 04:12 | 27 January 2022
- Modified Date: 04:12 | 27 January 2022
Germany's unwillingness to join other NATO members, like the United States, Britain and the Baltic countries, has raised eyebrows among allies and frustrated the pro-Western government in Kiev.
The new centre-left government of Olaf Scholz has said it is working to defuse the crisis but has ruled out sending lethal weapons, a position that was also taken by Angela Merkel's former government.
Making a 180-degree turn on this issue should only be done "with full awareness and above all without closing doors that have only just tentatively reopened at this moment," Baerbock told Bundestag lawmakers on Thursday.
"Whoever talks, doesn't shoot. It is therefore fatal to simply dismiss the resumption of dialogue," she said, apparently referring to fresh exchanges between Washington and Moscow, as well as talks by Ukrainian and Russian policy advisors in Paris on Wednesday.
Baerbock said Germany does lend support to Ukraine's military, singling out Berlin's announcement on Wednesday that it would send 5,000 combat helmets to the country.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin dismissed the helmets as a "purely symbolic gesture."
- Qatar, Turkey, Taliban-led gov’t agree on ‘several key issues’ to run Kabul airport
- WHO hit by racism claims against Western Pacific head
- Biden says he will announce Supreme Court nominee by end of February
- Italy reports 155,697 coronavirus cases on Thursday, 389 deaths
- Turkey calls for de-escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Russia