Berlin. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday defended her policy toward Russia, saying she does not have to “apologize” for having advocated diplomacy and trade to try to prevent a war in Ukraine.
The former leader, who was speaking for the first time after her retirement from political life six months ago, again strongly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has “no justification.”
“It is a brutal breach of international law for which there is no excuse,” he said.
It was in Germany’s interest “to find a modus vivendi with Russia so as not to find ourselves in a state of war” and “to be able to coexist despite all our differences,” Merkel added.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the former head of government has been accused of having increased Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, especially by promoting the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline despite the reservations of its European and US partners.
The gas pipeline was finally suspended since the Russian aggression against Ukraine, without having come into operation.
For a long time, Germany practiced an outstretched hand policy towards Russia, thinking that trade would lead to a progressive democratization of the country.
“I did not think that Putin would change thanks to our trade relations,” Merkel said.
But it was clear to her that Russia would “always be a neighbor of Europe, which cannot be totally ignored,” she added in an interview with a journalist from the weekly Der Spiegel.
Although a political rapprochement was impossible, “it was pertinent to have at least commercial relations,” he pointed out.