“Inappropriate & Grotesque”: German Green Party Leader Slammed for Steel-Helmeted Photo-Op “Near Russian Border”

The green Euro neocons

The parliamentary head of Germany’s Left Party has slammed the co-leader of the country’s Green Party as having “completely lost his way” after visiting the front line in Ukraine and staging a photo-op in a helmet and flak jacket.

“For a German party leader to be photographed donning a steel helmet near the Russian border is inappropriate, in view of our history, and downright grotesque for a Green party leader,” Dietmar Bartsch told Dusseldorf newspaper the Rheinische Post.

Last month, amid ever-growing tensions in the Donbass, Robert Habeck went to inspect the front line at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. As well as posing for a photo in protective gear, Habeck also revealed his belief that Germany should help out Kiev by supplying it with arms.

The conflict in Donbass started in April 2014, when two pro-Moscow breakaway republics unilaterally declared independence from Kiev. These regions – the so-called Donetsk (DNR) and Lugansk People’s Republics (LNR) – are unrecognized by both Russia and Ukraine. However, according to Kiev, they are under the control of the Kremlin, a charge Moscow denies.

While the photo caused some backlash, Habeck’s proposal to arm the Ukrainian Army caused serious controversy in Germany, not least within his own party. The Green Party was founded with a pacifist ideal, and any provision of weapons seems to go against this principle. Other politicians, such as Rolf Mutzenich of the center-left SPD, called the demand “frivolous,” noting that it “once again underscores how incapable of governing and disingenuous the Greens are currently appearing.”

Senior officials in other major parties, such as the center-right ruling CDU, also slammed Habeck.

Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, has outright rejected the idea.

“I am convinced that the conflict can only be solved by political channels, and that should be clear to all involved,” he said. “This remains the guiding principle of our engagement, and it won’t change – weapons deliveries don’t help in this.”

The idea has gone down well in Kiev, however. In an interview with Frankfurt-based newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky complimented Berlin on its work to solve the conflict but suggested that Germany can do more to help – in particular, noting Habeck’s comments.

Following the backlash, Habeck later rowed back on his comments, noting that he simply meant “defensive weapons.”

“Night vision devices, reconnaissance devices, explosive ordnance disposal, and medivacs should be made available,” he said.

While advocating for the supply of weapons seems out of character for a Green Party, the German branch has long supported Kiev against Moscow. In particular, the Greens strongly oppose Nord Stream 2, a controversial gas pipeline that will connect Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. It aims to protect Berlin’s energy security and make the process less reliant on third countries transiting gas, thereby lowering the price. As things stand, much of Europe’s gas comes from Russia via Ukraine, and Kiev receives hefty fees for pipeline usage.

Source: RT

10 Comments
  1. ken says

    Surely the Geman’s remember the last time they screwed with the Russians things went south pretty quick.

    The Ukraine is nothing but a bought and paid for US puppet. The Ukrainian hypocrites hate Russia but love Russian money. Ukraine has already lost quite a chunk of property doing the bidding of its new master the US.

    I suggest they do what’s good for Ukraine for a change…

    1. Eddy says

      My parents migrated from Germany in 1953. My father served two tours on the Russian Front and was wounded both times. Luckily for him, he survived. I asked him one day, why he decided to migrate and turn his back on his country and their heratige. His reply, ” The people in Europe are all insane, everyone hates everyone else, they carry grudges for centuries and always demand pay back for events no has ever lived thru, but their ancestors. I was called up by our Government, to allegedly fight for our country, but our country and the folks we were fighting, were all insane, the blood being spilled was all for nothing, the little people died by the millions whilst the instigators thrived and got richer and richer. I’m sick of it all, and can see no changes for Europe in the future”.
      How accurate was that, looking at today’s events in Europe, he was spot on way back then.A pox on the lot of them.

      1. joey_n says

        I remember reader ‘itchyvet’ said something similar months ago on this site.

  2. Helga Weber says

    I heard recently on the german TV that the Ukraine was one of the richest countries in the UDSSR, had the biggest Army and NO debts.
    Well it came down a bit under american tutelage.

    1. Mr Reynard says

      That’s nothing .. I heard that Kalifornia’s economy was hundred time greater than Russia’s economy & that Russia’s broke.. As well Russia need western expertise, from Wall St & should listen to the advice of Joe & the Ho …

  3. kkk says

    Fascist is always fascist, does not matter green or brown

    1. Mr Reynard says

      Stop referring to Mussolini ! Just look at the Judaeo-Bolshevik Trotskyists , Trotsky murdered Russian Orthodox Christian & beat hands down the record of Mussolini ..
      BTW I’m not Italian, I’m French..
      So do your research on fascism so that next time you can use the proper description of those scums..
      Call a Spade a bloody Shovel !

  4. Geraldo says

    More evidence, if you need it, that the US is all the way behind the greens for the election. The Green Ribbon coup on the Germans incoming.

  5. Juan says

    Well, greens should cheer human beings being killed huh? At least according to their most extreme brand of ecoloonism.

  6. Alan MacDonald says

    Anti-Empire must be a Peaceful politcal-economic “Revolution Against Empire” [Justin du Rivage’s 2014 definitive history of our first one]

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