Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Germany of prioritizing its economic interests over its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying German support came “too late to stop war.”
In a virtual address to the German Bundestag on Thursday, Zelensky thanked Germany for its assistance in sending anti-tank weapons and defense systems to Ukraine, reversing the country’s previous policy of not sending weapons to conflict zones. However, the Ukrainian president called on German leaders to do more.
“What is Germany’s historic responsibility towards Ukraine today?” he said, according to the BBC. “We could see your willingness to continue to do business with Russia, and now, we’re in the middle of the cold war.”
Despite several countries announcing sanctions on Russia, Germany has hesitated because of its reliance on Russian gas and other economic imports. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did halt the country’s approval of Nord Stream 2, though, shortly after Russia’s invasion, delaying the gas pipeline’s certification until further notice.
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Ukraine opposed the initial creation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, arguing it gave too much leverage to Russia in terms of producing natural gas. Zelensky underscored this viewpoint in his address Wednesday, placing blame on Germany for allowing Russia to increase its influence in Europe.
“We always said Nord Stream 2 is a weapon and a preparation for the great war, and we got the answer that it was business, business, business,” he told German leaders. “You’re still protecting yourself behind a wall that does make it possible for you to see what we are going through.”
