German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has condemned the votes announced in several Ukrainian regions on joining Russia as a “mockery” of Ukraine and the United Nations. The renewed provocation should not result in a move away from support for Ukraine for fear of a further escalation of the conflict, the Greens politician warned on Tuesday evening in the ARD “Tagesthemen”. She spoke from New York, where she is staying on the occasion of the 77th general debate of the UN General Assembly. “With all caution, with all the responsibility that we have, we must not let ourselves be fooled by this renewed provocation, but we must now continue to support Ukraine with full responsibility for peace in Europe,” said Baerbock. “The arms deliveries will continue because it saves lives,” she assured.
The world community will make it clear “that you can never accept a so-called vote held at gunpoint in the head,” said the Foreign Minister, referring to the sham referendums in the occupied territories. The fact that these were announced at the start of the UN General Assembly in New York shows “how much the Russian President tramples on the United Nations, international law, actually every other state in the world”. Because the Russian war of aggression is now even more in the focus of the assembly, which signals to other countries that their issues and concerns are not really given space.
Baerbock also made it clear that she sees an act of desperation by Russian President Vladimir Putin in the planned votes in view of the recapture of large areas by Ukraine: “Since he is currently not making any progress militarily, he is now taking this step,” said Baerbock. The Russian “regime” massively underestimated “that you can’t march through to Kyiv in a few days”. Putin also underestimated the international unity in rejecting such a breach of international law.
