BY Shivani
German Navy chief Kay-Achim Schonbach resigned amidst the heat over his statements at a New-Delhi based think tank meet recently. During the talk, Schonbach made comments about Russian President Valdimir Putin’s underlying goal in the Ukraine standoff was to win affirmation for Russia as a major power.
This Saturday, Ukraine summoned the German ambassador in Kyiv to protest against the remarks made by Kay-Achim, who commented that Crimea would never return to Ukraine after its annexation by Russia in 2014.
Schonbach’s remarks fueled up an awkward divergence as US and Europe responded to the Ukraine standoff after Russia massed an estimated 100,000 troops on the border.
The German Navy chief released a statement which reads, “MY position is increasingly burned by the ill-advised comments on security and military policy that I made in India.” Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht has accepted his resignation, he added.
The US-Russian talk came to an end this week indecisively. Officials of the Ukrainian, Russian, German and French leaders are likely to meet this coming Wednesday in Paris.
Schonbach said in his statement, “It is easy to give him the respect he really demands and probably also deserve.” He also debunks the doubt on Ukraine’s aspirations of NATO membership, which the USA and its allies want to keep as an option over Russian objections.
