Angela Merkel rejects Zelensky's criticism, stands by her decision to block Ukraine from NATO

Categories: UK NEWS

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's criticism of calling her 2008 decision to block Ukraine from immediately joining NATO a "miscalculation."Defending her decision, she said, "In view of the atrocities uncovered in Bucha and other places in Ukraine, all efforts by the government and the international community to stand by Ukraine's side and to bring an end to Russia's barbarism and war against Ukraine have the former chancellor's full support."

Merkel was Germany’s first female chancellor. She was also a driving force behind EU sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.She had retired from politics late last year after four consecutive terms in power. Experts believe that her detente policy towards the Kremlin leader left Germany and Europe vulnerable."We were sticking to a bridge in which Russia no longer believed and which other partners had warned us against."

"We failed to build a common European house," Steinmeier said. "I did not believe Vladimir Putin would embrace his country's complete economic, political and moral ruin for the sake of his imperial madness," he added.Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Tuesday that “we are looking at what solutions there are, together with the EU, NATO and in particular the G-7 partners.”She dismissed criticism that Germany is not doing enough to arm Ukraine, saying “there aren’t many other countries that have supplied more (weapons).”