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dpa
Berlin
A top advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken issue with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s defence of the Russian people.
“It was not the Russian people who made the fatal decision to invade Ukraine. This war is Putin’s war,” Scholz said on Thursday evening at a political event.
This distinction, while widespread in Europe, is wrong, according to Mykhailo Podolyak, who wrote on the Telegram messenger app that a majority of the Russian population supported the war.
Podolyak is responsible for foreign policy statements from the Ukrainian presidential office and also issues updates on the peace talks between Kiev and Moscow.
On Friday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned citizens against hostility towards Russians.
The head of state echoed Scholz’s assertion that this war was the responsibility of the political establishment in Moscow and not Russian people - although Steinmeier was referring to Russian expats living in Germany.
Many of these people rejected the war, he said.
Steinmeier also thanked the volunteers who were helping respond to what might be the biggest movement of refugees since World War II.
“We want this to be more than just a short-lived welcoming culture,” Steinmeier said, using a term reminiscent of Germany’s response to the 2015 refugee crisis.
Just under 200,000 people have arrived in Germany after fleeing the violence in Ukraine, the Interior Ministry in Berlin said on Friday.
Podolyak’s criticism of Scholz came a day after Zelensky addressed the German chancellor personally, calling for Berlin to provide more support to Ukraine as it fends off a full-scale Russian attack and civilian casualties in the country mount.
“Give Germany the leading role that Germany has earned,” Zelensky urged in a video address to the Bundestag parliament.
Scholz later thanked Zelensky for his “impressive words” but reiterated NATO’s refusal to intervene militarily in Ukraine.
Scholz’s government faced outrage from opposition parties across the political spectrum for blocking a motion to stage a special debate on Ukraine after Zelensky’s speech.
Instead, the Bundestag returned to its regular order of business, with deputy head of the legislature Katrin G?ring-Eckardt awkwardly moving on to issue birthday greetings for two sitting lawmakers directly after Zelensky’s impassioned speech. She was heckled by critics as she did so.
The German coalition government, which voted down its conservative rivals’ motion for a debate, comprises Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP).
Leading members of the Greens and FDP have since expressed their regret at the handling of the events in the Bundestag.
Berlin
A top advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken issue with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s defence of the Russian people.
“It was not the Russian people who made the fatal decision to invade Ukraine. This war is Putin’s war,” Scholz said on Thursday evening at a political event.
This distinction, while widespread in Europe, is wrong, according to Mykhailo Podolyak, who wrote on the Telegram messenger app that a majority of the Russian population supported the war.
Podolyak is responsible for foreign policy statements from the Ukrainian presidential office and also issues updates on the peace talks between Kiev and Moscow.
On Friday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned citizens against hostility towards Russians.
The head of state echoed Scholz’s assertion that this war was the responsibility of the political establishment in Moscow and not Russian people - although Steinmeier was referring to Russian expats living in Germany.
Many of these people rejected the war, he said.
Steinmeier also thanked the volunteers who were helping respond to what might be the biggest movement of refugees since World War II.
“We want this to be more than just a short-lived welcoming culture,” Steinmeier said, using a term reminiscent of Germany’s response to the 2015 refugee crisis.
Just under 200,000 people have arrived in Germany after fleeing the violence in Ukraine, the Interior Ministry in Berlin said on Friday.
Podolyak’s criticism of Scholz came a day after Zelensky addressed the German chancellor personally, calling for Berlin to provide more support to Ukraine as it fends off a full-scale Russian attack and civilian casualties in the country mount.
“Give Germany the leading role that Germany has earned,” Zelensky urged in a video address to the Bundestag parliament.
Scholz later thanked Zelensky for his “impressive words” but reiterated NATO’s refusal to intervene militarily in Ukraine.
Scholz’s government faced outrage from opposition parties across the political spectrum for blocking a motion to stage a special debate on Ukraine after Zelensky’s speech.
Instead, the Bundestag returned to its regular order of business, with deputy head of the legislature Katrin G?ring-Eckardt awkwardly moving on to issue birthday greetings for two sitting lawmakers directly after Zelensky’s impassioned speech. She was heckled by critics as she did so.
The German coalition government, which voted down its conservative rivals’ motion for a debate, comprises Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP).
Leading members of the Greens and FDP have since expressed their regret at the handling of the events in the Bundestag.
