Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has expressed his perplexity in the face of the debate on Germany’s potential involvement in a peacekeeping force for Ukraine. “I don’t understand what there is to discuss” he told the Tagesspiegel (Tuesday edition). “It’s clear that we must participate.”
Gabriel continued, “Without European involvement, without the presence of European military in Ukraine, it will not be possible to create the deterrent effect that Ukraine needs, so that Russia does not try it again. Anyone who refuses to participate in this will not create peace in Ukraine. We can be grateful if the Americans are still involved at all.”
Gabriel criticized the accusations made by US Vice President J.D. Vance in his speech at the Munich Security Conference, calling them “ridiculous.” “Europe must finally understand that it needs to stand together, rather than each government trying to get the most out of the White House on its own” he said.
He warned of the worst-case scenario, “if Europe were to turn away like a sulking child now.” In the US, a battle is being waged over the soul of the West. European liberal democracies should not stand aside, but rather participate in this battle. “Donald Trump was not elected with 70 percent of the vote, but with 49 to 48 percent” Gabriel said. “We must maintain the connection to the 48 percent who stand for the idea of the West.”
Gabriel described the German federal election campaign as a “belly-button gazing” exercise, as it focuses too little on the future of Europe and the relationship with the US. Europe must unleash its economic power again. To achieve this, Gabriel suggested taking the de-bureaucratization of the government seriously. Specifically, he proposed abolishing the right of environmental organizations to file lawsuits, in order to speed up planning processes.