Former German Chancellor Warns of Early Conflict and Nuclear Threats
Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany, recently shared her views on the Ukraine conflict, stating that the war would likely have started earlier and possibly been worse if Ukraine had pursued NATO membership in 2008. In an interview with BBC, Merkel explained, “It was absolutely clear to me that President Putin would not have stood by and watched Ukraine join NATO. And in that case, Ukraine would certainly not have been as prepared as it was in February 2022.”
Merkel’s comments reflect her belief that the early push for NATO membership would have provoked a military conflict sooner, given Russia’s opposition to NATO expansion. She also expressed concern that the war in Ukraine has led to a new era in Europe’s relations with Russia, one that was “tragically” marked by Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In this rare interview, her first since stepping down from politics three years ago, Merkel also warned about the growing nuclear threat posed by Russia. She stressed the need for global efforts to prevent the use of nuclear weapons, particularly in the context of ongoing Russian threats. “We must do everything possible to prevent the use of nuclear weapons. Fortunately, China has recently spoken about this. We should not be paralyzed by fear, but we must accept that Russia is one of the two largest nuclear powers in the world, alongside the US. The potential is terrifying,” Merkel cautioned.
During her tenure as Chancellor, Merkel said she worked to deter Russian aggression through diplomacy and negotiations, efforts which ultimately failed in the face of Putin’s escalation. She emphasized the need for Europe to reassess its relations with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
