Sunday 19th December 2021
Sanctions in the Ukraine conflict
Lambrecht wants “personal consequences” for Putin
Barely in office, the new defense minister is already in crisis mode. Because the threat situation on the Ukrainian border from Russia is worsening. The SPD politician wants those “responsible for the aggression” to feel the consequences first-hand – and by that she means Putin personally.
Before her trip to Lithuania, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht of the SPD spoke out in favor of tougher sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine conflict. “Right now we have to target Putin and those around him,” said Lambrecht of “Bild am Sonntag”. Those “responsible for the aggression” would have to feel “personal consequences”, “for example, that they can no longer go shopping on the Paris Champs Élysées”.
Given a massive Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, there are fears that Moscow could attack the neighboring country. The G7 and the EU threaten Russia with “massive consequences” in the event of an attack. “Spiegel” reported that NATO was considering reinforcing its troops in the east of the alliance area.
“I can also understand the Ukrainians’ fears very well,” Lambrecht told the newspaper. The new defense minister was cautious about the prospects of sending NATO soldiers to Ukraine itself. “We have to exhaust all options of diplomacy and economic sanctions,” she told the newspaper. “And all further steps must be closely coordinated in the alliance.”
Foreign missions put to the test
Lambrecht had already announced that it would put the Bundeswehr’s missions abroad to the test. She has now proposed that the Bundeswehr’s Mali mission be relocated to another country. “The safety of our soldiers is my top priority,” said Lambrecht. It must be checked “whether the training of the Malian soldiers in another place that is safer for our soldiers, is just as good or even better possible”.
The Bundeswehr is participating in the UN Minusma mission in Mali with up to 1,100 soldiers. It is also represented in Mali with up to 600 soldiers as part of the EU training mission EUTM. The mission in Mali, which has been ongoing since 2013, is currently the most dangerous of the global UN peace missions. According to the UN, more than 150 members of the international force had been killed by the beginning of December.
Hope for an early Mrs. General
The new defense minister also wants to improve the advancement opportunities for women in the armed forces. “We have to focus even more on women. As long as women hit a glass ceiling in their careers and men do the top jobs among themselves, that is a deterrent,” said the SPD politician. There will be a first Frau General outside of the medical service “hopefully during my term of office”.
“I make it my business to ensure that all the women who have already made it up to the Colonel can move up,” promised Lambrecht. “Nowhere do I see that great people are being thwarted.”