German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on Sunday criticized the war Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging against Ukraine, while hinting on forthcoming ‘inconveniences’ during a strongly worded speech in the city of Paderborn, West Germany.
“The war that Putin is waging against Ukraine is also a war against the unity of Europe. We must not allow ourselves to be divided, we must not allow the great work of a united Europe to be destroyed,” Steinmeier said.
“This war is not just about the territory of Ukraine, it is about the double shared foundation of our values and our order of peace,” he added.
But defending these values and vouching for them also means being ready to “accept sensitive inconveniences,” the German President underlined, without giving more details of the drawbacks in question.
He was probably referring to the European Commission proposed plans for reducing the demand for natural gas in the EU in response to a worst possible scenario when Russia will cut off natural gas to EU member states. The plan has met opposition by a number of EU member states.
“Are we ready for this? We all face this question – today and in the days, weeks and months ahead,” he said. “Russia is not only questioning the borders, it is not only occupying the territories of an independent and sovereign neighbouring state, it is even challenging the statehood of Ukraine.”
