German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “not play with human lives” in Ukraine on Monday, at the start of yet another week of tense diplomacy in Europe.
“I am urgently appealing to the Russian government, to the Russian president: do not play with human lives!” Baerbock said in Brussels on arrival at the meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
“Truly irresponsible play with civil society and people in the occupied areas – on both sides – is irresponsible,” he added.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is due to speak to Putin on Monday as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
The call was announced by German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit during a press conference in Berlin on Monday.
“The attacks, the violent conflict that we have experienced in the last 72 hours is really alarming, the ceasefire is being repeatedly interrupted and people’s lives are highly threatened because of the interruption of water and energy supplies,” Baerbock said.
“Go back to the negotiating table! It’s in your hands. We are sitting at the table every hour and every minute. We are waiting for you to jointly take care of peace and security in Ukraine,” she said as well.
European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell told reporters on Monday that the EU will introduce “sanctions at the right time”.
“I will convene the extraordinary meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations and present the sanctions at the right time. […] We are ready to do that when the time comes,” he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen previously told German public television ARD that Russia “in principle would be cut off from international financial markets” if it invaded Ukraine again.
“The crisis was induced by Russia, that’s why Russia has to solve this crisis now. We can only resolve this crisis at the negotiating table. It is a matter of our common security,” Baerbock reiterated at the European summit on Monday.
“It is absolutely important that we are united as Europeans with our American friends,” she said.
Source: CNN Brasil
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