MOSCOW (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman is calling on Russia to release Ukrainian sailors and ships seized in a naval standoff near Crimea.
Steffen Seibert on Monday urged both sides on Monday to open a dialogue quickly to clear up the case and calm tensions. He said that Sunday’s incident raises “serious questions, above all regarding the use of military force by Russian forces for which, on the basis of the facts known to us so far, no justification is apparent.”
The Russian coast guard fired on three Ukrainian ships Sunday near the Kerch Strait and then seized them along with the crews, increasing tensions and drawing international concern.
Seibert said Germany is “in contact with both sides.” Foreign ministry spokesman Rainer Breul said a previously scheduled meeting in Berlin Monday of foreign ministries’ political directors from Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine will now serve to discuss the standoff.
Winter is coming on, RU needs cash. Therefore create tension. When they demand an increase in Natural Gas prices from Ukraine, Germany and others, as a condition of de-escalation, they will get it…
It’ll be interesting to see what tweets emerge from this morning’s Executive Time.
While trump remains quiet… smfh
There was a time when the President of the United States - the leader of the free world - would take the lead in a situation like this. Watch for this unPrecedent to defend Russia.
I see the leader of the Free World has spoken. Remember when that used to be the American President?