Garry Kasparov, who became world famous as a chess grandmaster, is one of the most prominent critics of Russian President Putin. In a multi-part post on Twitter, he deals with German Russia policy under Chancellors Scholz, Merkel and Schröder - with a devastating verdict.
Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov has sharply criticized former Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor Olaf Scholz for their Russia and conflict policy: "Merkel is going one step further on her catastrophic legacy of placating Putin," writes Kasparov on Twitter. "By saying that Russia is necessary for European peace - as if it weren't the only instigator of the war, as if her policies hadn't given Putin billions to build this war machine. Shameless." Merkel recently stressed again that a lasting peace in Europe could only come about with the involvement of Russia.
Kasparov, who has been a committed opposition figure against Vladimir Putin's regime in Russia for years, also takes a tough stance on incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz in another part of his tweet: "Meanwhile, Scholz wants to ensure that all German tanks sent to Ukraine new and unscathed for a victory parade in Kyiv, never in combat. Are you also looking forward to future deals with the war criminal Putin?"
With obvious irony, Kasparov then draws a comparison to her predecessor Gerhard Schröder: "Your predecessor Schröder, on the other hand, is almost respectable, works openly for Putin as an employee, advocate and toadyeater." Kasparov then speculates on Merkel's motives for her policy and, in a somewhat conspiratorial manner, raises the question of whether Putin might have incriminating information about Merkel.
Kasparov, 59, is one of the Kremlin's most famous critics. The Russian government recently put him on its list of "foreign agents" along with former oligarch and Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
