The European Tribune is a forum for thoughtful dialogue of European and international issues. You are invited to post comments and your own articles.
Please REGISTER to post.
Annalena Baerbock's message to America: She's in sync with Biden | Atlantic Council - May 6, 2021 | No more "behaving very passively" in world affairs Aggression by Russian President Vladimir Putin, such as his recent massing of troops along the border with Ukraine, stems in part from a lack of an "active foreign policy" from Germany and the EU in standing up for Eastern European allies, Baerbock said. "Germany is the biggest player in the EU and it's crucial that if the EU wants to be strong, if the EU wants to play an international role and also a role in its own neighborhood, that it needs a strong, open, but active German foreign policy. It's not about Germany telling the others what to do, but if we are behaving very passively, it's hard for the others." On the question of whether to go forward with the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, Baerbock is a hard "no," in contrast to Merkel and Armin Laschet, the new leader of the CDU and Baerbock's chief rival to become chancellor. Laschet has said he wants to continue with the project. In Baerbock's view, the pipeline would violate the spirit of the EU's economic sanctions retaliating against Russian aggression. "This pipeline contradicts our sanctions, so it cannot go in place," she said. "It cannot start." Baaerbock's reasoning on this point isn't just geopolitical. She instead wants to work with Ukraine to set up a hydrogen pipeline. "We need some hydrogen in Europe to be carbon-neutral in the future," she said. "There's a high potential in Ukraine for renewable energy, for wind and solar. We have already this pipeline there to transfer now fossil [fuel] gas. We can set it up for [a] green hydrogen pipeline in the future."
No more "behaving very passively" in world affairs
Aggression by Russian President Vladimir Putin, such as his recent massing of troops along the border with Ukraine, stems in part from a lack of an "active foreign policy" from Germany and the EU in standing up for Eastern European allies, Baerbock said. "Germany is the biggest player in the EU and it's crucial that if the EU wants to be strong, if the EU wants to play an international role and also a role in its own neighborhood, that it needs a strong, open, but active German foreign policy. It's not about Germany telling the others what to do, but if we are behaving very passively, it's hard for the others."
On the question of whether to go forward with the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, Baerbock is a hard "no," in contrast to Merkel and Armin Laschet, the new leader of the CDU and Baerbock's chief rival to become chancellor. Laschet has said he wants to continue with the project. In Baerbock's view, the pipeline would violate the spirit of the EU's economic sanctions retaliating against Russian aggression. "This pipeline contradicts our sanctions, so it cannot go in place," she said. "It cannot start."
Baaerbock's reasoning on this point isn't just geopolitical. She instead wants to work with Ukraine to set up a hydrogen pipeline. "We need some hydrogen in Europe to be carbon-neutral in the future," she said. "There's a high potential in Ukraine for renewable energy, for wind and solar. We have already this pipeline there to transfer now fossil [fuel] gas. We can set it up for [a] green hydrogen pipeline in the future."
by Cat - Jan 25 15 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 22 1 comment
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 26
by Oui - Jan 9 19 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 13 28 comments
by gmoke - Jan 20
by Oui - Jan 15 90 comments
by gmoke - Jan 7 13 comments
by Oui - Jan 271 comment
by Cat - Jan 2515 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 221 comment
by Oui - Jan 219 comments
by Oui - Jan 21
by Oui - Jan 20
by Oui - Jan 1839 comments
by Oui - Jan 1590 comments
by Oui - Jan 142 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 1328 comments
by Oui - Jan 1212 comments
by Oui - Jan 1120 comments
by Oui - Jan 1031 comments
by Oui - Jan 919 comments
by NBBooks - Jan 810 comments
by Oui - Jan 717 comments
by gmoke - Jan 713 comments
by Oui - Jan 68 comments