"I've said already in the last days – yes, we have to do more to defend Ukraine," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "Yes, we have to do more also on tanks. But the most important … part is that we do it together and that we do not do the blame game in Europe. Because we are fighting a war against Russia and not against each other."
Incidentally, Baerbock declared last year that she would continue to support Ukraine even though German voters do not share her sentiments.
"If I (am) given the promise to Ukraine – 'We stand with you, as long as you need us' – then I want to deliver. No matter what my German voters think, I want to deliver to the people of Ukraine," she said.
Moscow was quick to notice Baerbock's remarks, with one official putting in her two cents.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out that the German minister's words only attest to earlier admissions by the West that it had been planning the conflict for years.
"If we add this to [former German Chancellor Angela] Merkel's revelations that they were strengthening Ukraine and did not count on the Minsk agreements, then we are talking about a war against Russia that was planned in advance," Zakharova said. "Don't say later that we didn't warn you." (Related: Germany is about to lose World War III.)
The spokeswoman referenced comments Merkel made to German media in December of last year that the 2014 ceasefire brokered by Germany and France was actually a ploy "to give Ukraine valuable time" for a military buildup. Former French President Francois Hollande and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko also attested to Merkel's remarks.
Olaf Scholz pressured to send tanks to Kyiv
Baerbock is not the only politician in the Bundestag – Germany's parliament – pushing for a full-blown war with Russia. Incumbent German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appears to have followed in her footsteps.
Scholz initially insisted that Germany ought to support Ukraine but avoid direct confrontation with Russia. However, German media reported that the Green Party – which is in favor of directly supporting Kyiv – strong-armed the chancellor into sending tanks. Scholz then backpedaled on his initial stance, agreeing to send 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks and promising more in the future.
Moreover, the Green Party that Baerbock belongs to also pressured Christine Lambrecht of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to step down as defense minister. Lambrecht, who was reluctant to send tanks to Ukraine, was replaced by her SPD party-mate Boris Pistorius. Compared to his predecessor, Pistorius was much more receptive to the Green Party's proposal.
It is interesting to note that Scholz refused to stand his ground, even though he himself admitted that the German people are not in favor of sending tanks to Ukraine, per an English article by the online portal of the magazine Der Spiegel.
"Critics of Scholz accuse him of constantly drawing red lines that he eventually crosses anyway. Early in the war, he said Ukraine was to receive no weapons at all, then no heavy weapons and finally, no tanks. He then proceeded to break one taboo after the other," the article noted.
"Pistorius has stressed [that] the inventory of Leopard tanks his ministry is taking will be available. An audit [will also be done] to determine how many of the tanks are available, what condition they are in and when they could be deployed. The question is no longer whether the tanks will go to Kyiv, but rather when."
Watch this G News report about Baerbock visiting Ukraine in May 2022 and promising German weapons to the country.
This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com.
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Germany will support Ukraine 'no matter what my voters think', says foreign minister.
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