The after-effects of misplaced comments
The Hindu
What has led to the resignation of Germany’s navy chief? Has it caused a rift in the relations between Germany and Ukraine?
Germany’s navy chief Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach on January 22, after his remarks on Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin at an event in New Delhi triggered a political controversy back home in Germany and a diplomatic incident with Ukraine.
Speaking at an interactive session at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi on January 21, Schönbach, commenting on fears of Russia invading Ukraine, said, “Does Russia really want a small and tiny strip of Ukraine soil to integrate into their country? No, this is nonsense. Putin is probably putting pressure because he can do it and he splits EU opinion. What he really wants is respect.” He went on to add, “If I was asked, it is easy to give him [Putin] the respect he really demands and probably also deserves. Russia is an old country, Russia is an important country… We need Russia against China.” He also said that Crimea (which Russia annexed in 2014) is “gone” and is “not coming back”. Essentially, his remarks indicated a softer position on Putin and Ukraine, which is at variance with the official stance of both Germany and NATO (Germany is a part of NATO).
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