Estonia's Foreign Minister Tsahkna called the words of former German Chancellor Schröder, who spoke against the "demonization of Russia as an eternal enemy" and for the supply of "cheap energy resources" from the Russian Federation, "horrible."
Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna criticized former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who spoke out against the "demonization of Russia as an eternal enemy" and in support of resuming the supply of "cheap energy resources" from the Russian Federation. "Calls to avoid the 'demonization' of a country that is waging the most brutal war in Europe since World War II, and even hints at resuming energy cooperation, are simply horrible," Tsahkna wrote on the social network X on Sunday, January 25.
In his opinion, the war in Ukraine is a "direct result of years of appeasement policy and decades of believing that trade would restrain aggression." "This belief financed rearmament and entrenched Europe's energy dependence, which supported the flow of money to the aggressor," Tsahkna believes. He called the German foreign policy based on the principle of "Wandel durch Handel" ("Change through Trade") a "failure" and "irretrievably lost".
Schröder Against the Demonization of Russia as an Eternal Enemy
In an article for the Berliner Zeitung published on January 24, the former chancellor specifically called the war in Ukraine a "violation of international law and human rights." At the same time, he spoke out "against the demonization of Russia as an eternal enemy." "Russia is not a country of barbarians, but a country with a rich culture and diverse historical ties to Germany," Schröder noted.
The politician emphasized that he considers the policy of rapprochement with Russia, which he promoted during his tenure as Chancellor of Germany, to be correct. According to him, Germany needs a "safe and reliable import of cheap energy resources from Russia."
Schröder noted that the European Union is losing international significance also because Washington and Moscow are negotiating the future of Ukraine bypassing Brussels. The politician believes that Donald Trump's presidency will have fatal consequences, as he is trying not only to "claim Greenland for himself but also to push the EU into a new dependence on the United States."
Schröder - Friend of Putin and Top Manager of State Companies in Russia
Gerhard Schröder served as Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. After his resignation, he repeatedly participated in projects related to Russia. The politician headed the board of directors of the operator of the "Nord Stream" project, as well as the board of directors of "Rosneft." Schröder is considered a close friend of Vladimir Putin.
After the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the politician faced criticism due to his close ties with the Kremlin and was stripped of some privileges he enjoyed as a former chancellor. Schröder refused to join the board of directors of "Gazprom," to which he was nominated in early 2022, and also left the position of chairman of the board of directors of "Rosneft," which he held since 2017.
