Foreign Minister Baerbock regrets not being able to better protect civilians in Ukraine from Russian attacks. Military protection is needed for humanitarian actions. But the West cannot afford that, says Baerbock - "even if the heart is on fire".
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock regrets that the West cannot intervene militarily in the Ukraine war to protect civilians. "For example, I would have liked to have promised that we would guarantee humanitarian corridors from the contested areas in Ukraine," the Green politician told Der Spiegel. "But we can't afford that. Such a promise would have to be secured militarily." That's why she had to "clearly say" that there would be no no-fly zones.
"Good foreign policy also means keeping a cool head, even when your heart is on fire," said Baerbock in a joint conversation with her Luxembourg counterpart Jean Asselborn. "Having to endure the fact that you can't do anything - that's sometimes the brutality of foreign policy." Asselborn expressed himself similarly: "One must recognize the reality of the war, even if it is barbaric."
Baerbock described the moment when she saw photos of shot children during a visit to Ukraine as one of the "worst moments" of her tenure so far. "That says everything about not being able to negotiate with this Putin at the moment," Baerbock said of the Russian president. "It's about destruction. Even of children."
With a view to the West, Baerbock said: "Through this terrible war, we now have the unique opportunity and responsibility to continue building Europe, but we have to be extremely careful not to split it. We must not found an exclusive club within the EU." The Green politician spoke out in favor of a convention for an EU constitution. "It remains the ideal for the great reform, also as a visionary path towards a European federal state." At the same time, she emphasized that it was not enough to "heroically introduce the idea of a convention", not to find a majority and then "lean back comfortably".
Baerbock rejected the recent proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron to set up a community for countries that cannot or do not yet want to become EU members. "We've had the discussion about a two-speed Europe before," said Baerbock. "To be honest, even then I didn't think much of it."
Asselborn emphasized that the admission of up to ten new member states would require a "completely different structure" for the EU. "The EU needs a real president, a prime minister with a government, a parliament that can propose laws and a senate next to the parliament where each country is represented," Asselborn said. "The countries will continue to exist, but the budget will then be decided in Brussels."
