The Federal government wants to prevent the military skirmishes in the Azov sea lead to war. Foreign Minister Maas brings his mediation proposal a rebuff from Moscow.
What exactly happened on Sunday in the Kerch Strait between Russian and Ukrainian warships, is still not entirely clear. There have been provocations by the Ukrainians, as it claims to Moscow? It was a one-sided aggressive attack of the Russians, it is still in Kiev? No neutral Agency can tell at the Moment exactly. That is why Angela Merkel and other members of the government appealed to both parties to the conflict to keep calm and not to overreact.
Merkel and Putin want to “analysis of the incident”
In a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made “the need for de-escalation and dialogue,” of course, said government spokesman Steffen Seibert. Putin had expressed the hope that Germany should have an effect on the Ukraine, in the future, “such provocations,” explained Seibert. Merkel and Putin have agreed, according to Seibert, an analysis of the incident by Russian and Ukrainian security experts to be seen.
In the acute crisis, Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin have exchanged phone
The Kremlin has no interest in the Normandy Format
In front of the “Berlin Forum foreign policy” of the Körber Foundation, said the foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, Germany and France had offered, “to work in the Normandy Format on a solution”. In this diplomatic Initiative, Berlin, Paris, Kiev and Moscow to sit together for four years, occasionally, to the weapons to implement a standstill agreement for the embattled East of Ukraine. Already on Monday had advised, according to Maas, the political Directors of the Format, a possible solution to the current conflict.
From the Kremlin, a rejection came by return of post: The authorities of Russia and the Ukraine could discuss the problems very well by themselves, said Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a visit to Paris. “There should not be any technical issues, which the Ukrainian side are very clear, you could be on the level of the local border authorities from both countries are discussed.”
Röttgen, does not exclude further sanctions against Russia
Another guest of the Körber-Foundation, the Slovak foreign Minister, Miroslav Lajcak, told Deutsche Welle: “of Course, we have not recognised the annexation of the Crimea and, therefore, the waters around the Crimea are not Russian territory.” In order to prevent further tensions in the area that need it but new rules. Now be announced until “calm and restraint”.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (left), the Chairman of the foreign Affairs Committee, Norbert Röttgen, and the Slovak foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcák at the Berlin foreign policy Forum
Norbert Röttgen (CDU), the Chairman of the foreign Affairs Committee, puts on a tougher approach. He said the incident at sea was “something Similar to a Crimea-annexation II”. You must now “consider all policy instruments, including sanctions, if Russia carries on with this policy”. Germany and its partners “must speak in a clear language (…) and the unlawful expansion of the Russian claim to the sea of Azov.”
Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has called on Russia, the 23 prisoners of the Ukrainian sailors. Also for you, the debt seems to be the question to be clear. A spokesman for the Kremlin said the government would be free, the set Ukrainians free. You are in the hands of the Russian Jurisdiction. The possible charge is violation of the Russian border.
Ukraine calls for help from Germany
Meanwhile, the government has reiterated in Kiev, the request to Germany for military aid. Andriy Melnyk, the Ambassador of Ukraine in Berlin, called for in the Bild newspaper that “our German partners to send naval ships of the EU and NATO in the Black and Azov sea as soon as possible on increased patrols to such acts of war by Moscow to prevent”.
The German wave had been told the Union-external expert Roderich kiesewetter on Monday, Germany needs to do more than make diplomatic inputs. If Russia does not give back the seized ships, “would further EU sanctions, in coordination with the United States, a consequence”. The support of the Ukrainian coast guard had to check, called gravel weather.