Former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Ukrainian Ambassador Andrij Melnyk clashed in the wake of the controversy over Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s long-standing policy toward Russia, according to the Welt.
Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) defended the German president and strongly attacked Ukrainian Ambassador Andri Melnik in the controversy over Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s unwanted visit to Kyiv. In his previous tenure as foreign minister, Steinmeier, along with then-Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), had done “more than anyone else in Europe” to support Ukraine, Gabriel wrote in an article in Der Spiegel magazine that published on Sunday.
In an interview, Ambassador Melnyk accused Steinmeier, among others, of “creating a spider-web of contacts with Russia for decades.” “As is well known, spider webs are used to catch and then exploit prey,” Gabriel wrote in response. “In essence, this comparison implies that the former chancellor and foreign minister helped organize the representation of Russian interests in Germany. This is untrue and malicious.”
Ukraine’s refusal to allow Steinmeier to visit Kyiv “is unprecedented and embarrassing,” Gabriel said. He said it was understandable that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky “wanted to express his anger and dissatisfaction with politicians in Germany and other EU countries over their previous policies on Russia and energy.”
“What we must not accept, however, are conspiracy theories about the policies of our country and its leaders,” Gabriel added. He described Melnyk’s statement on the “spider web” as “a more dangerous variant of conspiracy theories”. Melnyk responded to the post via Twitter. He wrote that the “chronic Putin-friendly policy” of the SPD, which had provoked the “barbaric war of extermination”, was “malicious” above all. “The reassessment is not over yet. Shame on you,” Melnyk wrote.
Source: Capital
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