Flag of PolandMOSCOW, Feb 2nd Former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, in his article for Der Spiegel magazine, criticized Germany for refusing to supply weapons to Kiev, demanding that Berlin change its position and restore «shattered confidence in itself.» According to the politician in an article entitled «Who against weapons for Ukraine, that one is for war», Germany has learned the wrong lessons from its history. At the same time, it is not the «power and influence» of these countries that frightens him most of all, but «German inaction».“It’s still hopeless”: the Germans supported NATO’s decision not to help Ukraine he said, adding that Germany is inactive when it comes to Ukraine. At the same time, Sikorsky complained that the British, Americans and small countries bordering Russia, «but not the Germans,» are supplying weapons to Kiev. In his opinion, the crisis around Ukraine is «partially rooted» in the foreign policy of Germany and France, which «violates the rules of the Lisbon treaty» according to which the EU states jointly define their strategic goals and security interests.» But instead, the so-called Normandy format arose in connection with Ukraine and the Minsk agreements were developed. France and Germany, the largest EU member states Russia and Ukraine) have taken on the mission of resolving the conflict — without EU institutions and without the participation of countries such as Poland, which directly border on the crisis region,» Sikorsky says. The ex-minister added that Germany, as the largest and most powerful EU state , should realize its responsibility for the entire European community, however, in his opinion, the «sad saga» about Nord Stream 2 suggests «the opposite». At the same time, he complained that Poland in recent years has been spending more on defense as a percentage of the budget than Berlin. «It's not fair that poorer countries provide security to richer countries on NATO's eastern flank. Europe must fully master the necessary competencies in ensuring its own security … But first of all, the largest country on the continent must finally at least begin to take its policies seriously security and restore shattered self-confidence,» Sikorsky demanded.The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine declared the impracticability of the Minsk agreementsIn recent months, relations between Russia and the West have become even more tense, the situation around Ukraine has worsened. Washington and Brussels accuse Moscow of preparing an «invasion», declaring that Russian troops are being pulled up to the border with a neighboring state. Against this background, the North Atlantic Alliance is strengthening its presence in Eastern Europe. In particular, on January 24, it became known about the transfer of a Danish frigate to the Baltic and four Danish fighters to Lithuania, Spanish ships and Dutch fighters to Bulgaria, as well as the possible dispatch of French units to Romania. Moscow rejects all claims, emphasizing that they are moving troops within their territories. The Russian side also recalls that Ukraine does not comply with the Minsk agreements, which provide for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of contact. Now Kiev has concentrated half of the army’s personnel on the border with the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR and is regularly shelling the militias, including using prohibited equipment — the Javelin anti-tank missile system and the Bayraktar strike drone. «- to build up a foreign grouping at the Russian borders. In addition, they explained that the main reason for the escalation in Ukraine is the actions of the United States and NATO, which send military instructors, weapons and equipment there, increase the number of exercises, thereby pushing Kiev to military adventures. At the end of last year, Moscow handed over projects to Brussels and Washington security assurance documents. The Kremlin insists on ending the bloc's military cooperation with the post-Soviet countries, refusing to create bases on their territory, limiting the deployment of strike weapons near the Russian border, removing American nuclear weapons from Europe and not expanding NATO to the east. On January 27, Russia received a written response. The Foreign Ministry said that Western partners ignored the most important issue of non-expansion of the alliance.Read the full text of the article on the InoSMI website >>
