The former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel misjudged Russia and is partially responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the head of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag (Germany's parliament) Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said in her interview with NTV.
Strack-Zimmermann, who is the deputy leader of the Free Democratic Party, blamed Angela Merkel for a "strategic mistake" that allowed Russia to invade Ukraine.
According to Strack-Zimmermann, Merkel's misjudgment with regard to NATO expansion made the war in Europe possible.
"In 2008, many countries in NATO advocated Ukraine's early admission. Germany and France blocked Ukraine's admission because of Russia," Strack-Zimmermann claimed.
The fact that Ukraine was not allowed to join NATO was "a big mistake" that France's President Nicolas Sarközy and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel were responsible for, according to Strack-Zimmermann.
"The story of Angela Merkel will have to be rewritten, especially that of the last few years," Strack-Zimmermann said.
Record-high 86% of Ukrainians support country’s accession to NATO, poll shows
Strack-Zimmermanng does not believe that the war in Ukraine could last as long as the First or Second World Wars. Putin did not expect broad and sustained support for Ukraine, which was his grave mistake, Strack-Zimmermann added.
"The war will definitely not last four or five years," she said. "Putin thinks we're complete wimps, but he is dead wrong."
Merkel defended her decision to block NATO membership of Ukraine back in 2008 and did not change her mind after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Merkel's spokeswoman said in April 2022.
Related:
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- Ukraine to join NATO when war is over, Stoltenberg says
- 5 reasons why Russia’s war is to conquer Ukraine, not defend itself from NATO
- NATO to finalize security guarantees for Ukraine by July - Sunak
