Angela Merkel: Russia’s actions threaten Georgia, Moldova and Balkans states

The Ukrainian crisis goes beyond the boundaries of a regional incident.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said about risks for European countries, which are related to the aggression of the Kremlin against Ukraine. Such an opinion was expressed by her during the visit to The Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney on November 17, Deutsche Welle informs.

Reminding about the Malaysian aircraft downed by terrorists, Merkel stressed that the Ukrainian crisis goes beyond the boundaries of a regional occurrence: “By this example we see that it concerns all of us.” The head of the state also attracted attention to the peculiar risks for Moldova, Georgia, Serbia and other Balkan states related to the policy of the Kremlin.

Merkel has underlined that as before Russia views Ukraine as its sphere of interests, and blatantly violates the international law. As said by Merkel, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin rejects resolutions of the Ukrainian conflict, which would respect point of views of all the sides, and in which democratic and legal means would be used. She believes that Putin stakes on the law of power, ignoring the power of the law. As said by Merkel, this policy started with annexation of Crimea, and now it continues as Moscow’s influence on the events in the east of Ukraine.

“After the two world wars and the cold war, they [the Kremlin’s actions] challenge the European order,” Chancellor stated. Merkel stressed that she is against of a revival of the times of the DDR, when nothing could happen without approval from Moscow. As said by the Chancellor, it contradicts Western values.

Angela Merkel has also called upon the European Union and the US to adhere to one line in the relations with Russia. As stressed by the head of the German government, the European Union would persevere in its attempts to find a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis together with Russia. At the same time, the EU is not going to give up the regime of sanctions, as long as they are necessary. However the Chancellor admitted that when imposing the economic sanctions, it is necessary to take into account their negative impact on their own economy.

Merkel warned that she does not expect an early resolution of the conflict with Russia, and urged to be patient for the sake of achieving a certain political effect. The Chancellor of Germany ruled out a possibility of a military solution to the Ukrainian crisis.