In connection with the possible establishment of an EU military training mission in Ukraine, Kyiv called on the German government to provide more support. This was stated by Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andriy Melnyk in an interview with Die Welt newspaper, published on Monday, October 4.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – October 04, 2021 – Diplomatic Affairs
“Ukraine calls on EU member states and especially Germany to launch this effective military training mission as soon as possible,” Melnyk said.
The day before, the newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported that the European External Action Service in its internal working document indicated the prospect of establishing a mission to train Ukrainian officers.
As Melnyk pointed out, it is a matter of increasing the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian armed forces in the face of ongoing aggression by Russia: “Kyiv hopes that both the current and future federal governments (Germany) will actively support this historic initiative and make a significant contribution to achieving consensus within the EU ”.
According to the ambassador, this will be a “litmus test” that will show whether the Federal Republic – and also the next ruling coalition – is ready to take on much greater responsibility than in the past and increase the security of the European continent in the long run.
According to the speaker of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag on foreign policy, Jurgen Hardt, the establishment of an EU training mission will be a concern for stability in Ukraine. In an interview with Die Welt, he stressed that “well-trained Ukrainian armed forces are in our interests.” “They will be a deterrent for the militia, as well as for the disguised Russian military in eastern Ukraine,” – said the German politician.
Right-wing populists and leftists oppose
Alice Weidel, the co-chair of the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany faction in the Bundestag, warned that Germany would become a party to the conflict and “risk being drawn into a military conflict” that it could not control on its own. The best contribution to peace in Ukraine would be if Germany took on the role of “honest mediator” between the parties, said Weidel Die Welt.
Left Party co-chair Suzanne Hennig-Wells also opposes the creation of an EU training mission in Ukraine. The politician fears that it will only contribute to the further escalation of the conflict. According to her, instead, she expects that the next German government “will open a new chapter in foreign and security policy and will promote it in the EU.” According to Hennig-Wells, instead of training Ukrainian officers, Brussels should better develop a new initiative for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
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Source: Ukrgate
