A year! 365 heavy, hard, cruel days. Russia’s war of aggression, oh what: war of annihilation against Ukraine has been around for so long. With each passing day, the responsibility of states to support the government in Kiev in the struggle for survival and for the sovereignty of their country is growing.
It’s like a European catharsis. Not least for Germany. German politicians had to look at themselves and admit that they had acted wrongly. For years, since Ras Putin’s Russia occupied Crimea.
Against the background of this, a value-based foreign policy – which the Foreign Minister wants to become a German trademark – cannot harm the EU. That only strengthens them and the Council of Europe. Autocrats among the Europeans must not block enlargement and the ability to act.
Stephan Andreas Casdorff is the publisher of the Tagesspiegel. He would like to teach more European community and community.
Russia’s example teaches us that when it comes to authoritarian governments, desire should never be the father of merely hopeful ideas. But that’s how it was with Vladimir Putin, whom we Germans hoped for a long time that he was still the one from 2001, who spoke “in the language of Kant” in the Bundestag. Only: There is no longer any trace of reason. Instead, an imperial claim to power as a categorical imperative.
It was gullible to hold on to hope for the better. Change through trade – despite the annexation of Crimea, war in Ukraine, hacker attacks on democratic institutions, influence on European and American elections, political murders. The further construction of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline went from a signal to a warning sign.
Therefore: pan-European together, along common values - to make a kind of “European doctrine” out of this is the German, namely Annalena Baerbock’s chance. However, the traffic light coalition must make substantial proposals quickly – in the interest of internal and external cohesion.
Help more and faster – also politically
A year later and Russia’s brutality is still mounting. A major turning point beyond Germany will be needed to alleviate the suffering of Ukraine. It is all the more important to strengthen them even further, even more, even faster: humanitarian, financial, military – and political.
This then requires a quick start to the EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. The reformed federal government can be a good mentor. Especially since she and France have to make advances a la Macron to reform the EU in order to get the engine running again.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is right, and here he is in complete agreement with Baerbock: not alone. Russia must be further isolated financially and politically through a unified, joint approach. And right up to the Security Council.
All this is taught by the year after Russia’s attack. And therein lies the mandate, a year before the European elections.
