The German naval chief resigned after criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and remarking that Ukraine would never regain Crimea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. | Reuters Yonhap News
According to Reuters and other foreign media, Deputy Admiral Kaiachim Schönbach, the commander of the German Navy, was criticized for making statements that seemed to support Putin at a think tank discussion held in New Delhi on the 21st (local time). He said it was important to get Russia on the same side to fight China. “What Putin really wants is respect,” Schönbach said. Respecting someone can cost little or no cost. “Putin can easily get the respect he demands, and he probably deserves it.”
Admiral Schönbach was also criticized for saying that Ukraine would not be able to reclaim Crimea annexed by Russia. “The Crimea is gone,” he said. I will never come back,” he said, contradicting the existing Western position that Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 was illegal and must be reversed. The dismissal of Ukraine’s possibility of joining NATO, saying, “It is not wise to have Ukraine as a member,” also contradicts the position of Western countries, including the United States.
After the controversy, the German defense ministry publicly drew a line, saying his remarks did not reflect Germany’s position. Deputy Admiral Schönbach said in a statement on the 22nd that he expressed his gratitude to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, saying, “The burden on my job has greatly increased due to frivolous remarks in India.” Minister Lambrecht accepted the resignation.
Germany is showing a lukewarm position compared to Britain and the Baltic countries, which have provided weapons to the Ukraine crisis. Minister Lambrecht said in an interview on the 22nd that “there is an established opinion within the government that the transfer of arms to Ukraine will not help alleviate the situation,” local media Deutsche Wele (DW) reported. According to a Wall Street Journal report the day before, Germany recently rejected a request from NATO member Estonia to approve the transfer of German-made 122mm D-30 howitzers to Ukraine.
In response, Ukraine summoned the German ambassador to Kiev and expressed deep disappointment at Germany’s refusal to transfer arms. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the 22nd that “Germany hopes to show a more active stance in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities in the face of the threat of a large-scale Russian invasion.”
Some analysts say that Germany cannot actively support Ukraine because it is heavily dependent on Russia’s gas imports. German historian Kacha Heuer pointed out in an article in the Washington Post on the 21st that Germany’s dependence on Russia for raw materials such as crude oil and natural gas has become a ‘weak link’ in NATO’s defense line.
