Norbert Lammert, Angela Merkel and Joachim Gauck on December 8th, 2021
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Berlin (German news agency) – Former Federal President Joachim Gauck has criticized the Russia policy of former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). “Even though I look at Angela Merkel’s work with great respect, I cannot approve of the fact that after 2014 she still felt she had to enforce Nord Stream II,” Gauck told the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition).
“People from business probably came to Merkel’s office every week and told her how important our constructive relations with Russia are for the economy and that Nord Stream II is a private-sector project,” he said. This is how decisions were made that today turned out to be misjudgments. Gauck said he was looking forward to Merkel’s memoirs: “She had good political intentions, was striving for economic strength and collective security in Europe. But neither the annexation of Crimea nor Putin’s perversions of the law resulted in a resolute defense against the aggressor.” When he called for more responsibility, including military, in 2014, the defense minister and the foreign minister gave similar speeches shortly afterwards, but nothing followed. “After a wake-up call, the snooze button was pressed again,” says Gauck.
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