German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock Addresses Vladimir Putin Directly in Explosive Speech

A diplomatic scandal erupted at a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock delivering a scathing speech that criticized Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Baerbock’s speech was notable for its direct address to Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the German Foreign Minister stating, “Maybe you can fool yourself, but you can’t lie to the whole world. The strongest man in your country is hiding behind young women he has kidnapped.”

Baerbock’s comments referred to allegations of war crimes committed by the Russian regime, including the abduction of thousands of children from Ukraine to Russia. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Putin for his alleged role in these crimes.

The German Foreign Minister also criticized the behavior of Vasily Nebenzya, the UN ambassador in Russia, who had left the meeting before Baerbock’s turn to speak. Baerbock stated, “The ambassador of the Russian Federation always leaves the hall after speaking here, we’ve seen that a few times now.”

The allegations against the Russian regime are serious, with at least 19,000 children and young people reportedly kidnapped by Russia as part of its war of aggression against Ukraine. Many of these victims have reported being sent to re-education camps, where they were subjected to Russian indoctrination and physical violence.

Baerbock emphasized the duration of the Ukraine war, stating, “Russia has been committing these crimes for 923 days now, children have been kidnapped and tortured for 923 days.” She also announced that Germany would continue to oppose Russian oppression, stating, “And we will not rest until these children are back with their families.”