Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a recent interview with the BBC that her gas deals with Russia were intended to protect German business and peace with Moscow. He insists that if Ukraine had not been blocked from joining NATO in 2008, the war could have started much earlier.
“If Ukraine had gone ahead with joining NATO in 2008, we would have been involved in a military conflict much earlier,” Merkel said. President Putin would not accept this. Besides, at that time Ukraine was not as ready as February 2022.'
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Merkel's decision a 'miscalculation'. According to him, Merkel's actions made Russia more aggressive.
Germany built two direct gas pipelines with Russia during Merkel's tenure, the BBC reported. Germany's energy sector is dependent on these pipelines. However, Zelensky called the two agreements Putin's geopolitical weapons.
Merkel claimed that the projects had two objectives—first, to protect Germany's business interests and second, to maintain peaceful relations with Russia.
However, at that time, NATO and European Union countries in Eastern Europe strongly opposed Merkel's policy. Polish MP Radosław Fogiel said, 'German gas money has bolstered Russia's war fund.'
Merkel claimed to have tried to deter the Russian attack through diplomacy. However, he also feels that the effort failed. German industry is now under pressure to import high-cost liquefied natural gas due to the recent Russian energy embargo.
Meanwhile, Merkel also allowed more than 1 million asylum seekers to enter Germany in 2015. It is considered one of the most important decisions of his tenure. Merkel was also praised for this. However, critics believe that Merkel's policy accelerated the rise of the right-wing AfD party in Germany. The AfD is currently in second place in German opinion polls. Opposition to immigration is the main slogan of this party.
The AfD benefited politically, Merkel acknowledged, but defended her decision. He thinks that preventing illegal immigration and increasing investment in African countries is the way to fight the right wing.
Germany is in a strong economic position under the leadership of Angela Merkel, but the country is currently being called the 'sick man of Europe'. Many complain that Germany is in the way it is today because long-term reforms to secure the future were not adopted under Merkel.
European leaders are currently trying to strike a balance between the US, China and Russia. Merkel believes strong priorities and clear communication are crucial to countering authoritarian tactics. However, he said, after retiring from politics, he no longer has any passion for power or political life.
During her tenure, Merkel tried to maintain peace and use diplomatic relations. However, in the current critical situation, questions are being raised about the sustainability of his policies and decisions.
