Former German Chancellor Questions Germany's Sanctions Against Russia

BALTIMORE, Maryland March 27, 2014 - Calling Russia's annexation of Crimea "understandable," the former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt has questioned whether Germany should be participating in the West's sanctions against the government of Russian Strong Man Vladimir Putin. Schmidt told the respected German Magazine "Der Spiegel" that calling the Russian annexation of Crimea a violation of international law was uncalled for.

It is an interesting perspective. USA President Barack Obama says that in the 21st century it is unacceptable for civilized countries to use military force and invasion to settle disputes with other nations. Schmidt, on the other hand, blames the west for over-reacting to what in effect was a border dispute. He said it was a mistake to levy sanctions for what he thought was a minor border dispute between two former members of the Soviet Union. If every minor border dispute turned into an international incident, more trouble will certainly follow, Schmidt said.

Instead, Schmidt said the West had to try harder to "understand" Putin. Schmidt was German Chancellor from 1974 through 1982. He is credited with the economic "miracle" which resulted in Germany have the most stable currency in Europe and the most stable economy in Europe. He worked hard during his years in power to unify European and American foreign policy and economic policy as a deterrent to Soviet aggression. In his opinion, however, the situation with Ukraine is different from other European nations because Ukraine was a former Soviet client state. Relations between Russia and these former Soviet-controlled states must be viewed in that context.

Schmidt becomes yet another former German Chancellor to urge caution when placing sanctions on Russia for the Ukraine invasion. Gerhard Schroeder, 69, has been excoriated for speaking out in favour of Moscow and against the German government position, Reuters has reported. Schroeder, however, earns a 250,000 euro salary as board chairman for a pipeline joint venture with Russian gas monopoly Gazprom.

Manuel Sarrazin, an MP in Germany, told Reuters that "Schroeder is spreading the Kremlin's propaganda and everyone should understand that he's now a paid spokesman for Russia." Sarrazin is a member of the Greens party.

But a member of the current Chancellors party and one of her foreign policy advisers urged caution when excoriating Schroeder.

"I don't think their man-to-man friendship is hurting Germany at all," said Philipp Missfelder, in an interview with Reuters. "I hope it'll help. It's better when people talk more rather than less with each other. I hope Schroeder can use his influence to help Germany."