Foreign Minister Analena Burbok considers the photo of the Turkish president posing next to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin a “provocation”. He rejects accusations of deception by the Polish government – and comments on the nuclear energy debate.
Foreign Minister Analena Berbock (Greens) criticized Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan for posing in a group photo with the presidents of Russia and Iran. The photo, taken on Tuesday during Erdogan’s summit with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Ibrahim Raisi in Tehran, shows the three heads of authoritarian governments holding hands and smiling.
“The fact that the Turkish president is in this photo is a challenge, to put it mildly,” he told Bild last night.
As a NATO state, Turkey has provided Ukraine with “huge military support” in its war against aggressor Russia and was also involved in the latest deal to safeguard Ukrainian grain exports, the Green politician said. “That’s why this photo is more than incomprehensible to me, especially from the point of view of a NATO member.”
Ms Burbock added that the constellation in the image also shows how important it is to “stand with value partners” who “not only believe in international rules, but also defend them”. “Because there are other bodies that do not defend our values ​​and in case of doubt they also ally themselves”.
The summit in the Iranian capital was officially about improving the situation in Syria, a country in civil war. Russia’s war against Ukraine was probably also an issue. Externally, Iran appears neutral in the war, but the sympathies of the Iranian leadership towards Russia are well known.
Burbok admits problems with exchange of tank rings with Poland
Burbok also admitted in the interview that the exchange of rings for arms deliveries to Ukraine did not work out as planned. However, he rejected harsh criticism from the Polish government, which had recently accused Germany of breaching its promise and cheating in the exchange of tank rings.
“In a situation like this, nobody cheats their European neighbor,” he said. The situation was unsatisfactory for both sides. But in war, you don’t always know right away what the perfect way is. And the exchange of rings began because it seemed to be “the best and fastest way at the time.”
As part of the swap, Poland is set to receive from allies such as Germany parts for the Soviet-designed tanks it handed over to Ukraine after the Russian invasion of the neighboring country. The idea was to enable Ukrainian soldiers to quickly receive heavy military equipment that they could operate without extensive training.
But Warsaw is far from satisfied with the result. “German promises regarding the exchange of tank rings turned out to be a deceptive maneuver,” Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek told Der Spiegel. First, the Germans had offered the Poles tanks “that were older than the ones we gave to Ukraine.” This offer was “unacceptable because we are not interested in degrading the state of our armaments and training our soldiers with equipment from the 60s”. This is why they now rely on the help of other NATO partners.
Burbok does not completely rule out the continued operation of nuclear plants
Regarding the energy crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression, Baerbock said in an interview with “Bild”: “We are now in an emergency situation where we are re-examining everything.” However, based on the facts he now knows, he believes that continuing to operate Germany’s nuclear reactors is “not the right step.”
The challenge is the supply of natural gas, said the green politician. “And that’s why nuclear power is not the answer.”
In such “difficult decision-making processes”, however, it is always important to “take every step based on the facts”, Burbock continued. This is why Economy Minister Robert Habeck (also a Green) is currently reviewing the situation in a second endurance test. “We await the results.”
At the same time, he warned against carelessly continuing the use of nuclear power after 2022: “We did not stop the use of nuclear power in Germany for no reason.
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
