Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned the Western democracies against isolation in view of the Ukraine war and called for a willingness to engage in dialogue. “If the West is to be more than a point of the compass, it must of course be principled, but at the same time it must be an open project, connectable for people in all parts of the world, regions with different histories, for different experiences and different religions,” he said on Thursday a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the Atlantic Bridge in Berlin. You are not in a conflict between the free West and the rest of the world.
“Many states cannot be clearly assigned to either side, neither the liberal democracies nor the authoritarian regimes. They do not want to join any camp, any party to the conflict, any old or new bloc,” Steinmeier said after his previously published speech manuscript. “As a transatlantic community, we need both in these times: internal strength and unity – vigilance, wisdom and a willingness to talk to others.” That is why the forthcoming G20 summit in Bali and in particular talks with India and China are of great importance.
The Federal President pointed out that in March at the UN General Assembly, 141 states had described Russia’s actions in Ukraine as a war. But not even half of them wanted to explicitly condemn Russia as responsible for it. “Is that why the other half is already firmly in the Russian camp? I think: no.”
Association wants to deepen cooperation
The Atlantic Bridge is a non-profit association founded in 1952. His goal is to deepen cooperation between Germany, Europe and America at all levels. Former Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) is currently the chairman. The association has around 500 members, primarily decision-makers from politics, business, science and the media from both sides of the Atlantic.
The Atlantic Bridge decisively promoted the arrival and anchoring of the Federal Republic in the political and cultural West, said Steinmeier. “Today there are so many and so close connections between Germany and the USA, so many economic, cultural, scientific relationships that have developed over decades, in good times and bad, through crises and conflicts, also through changes of government in both Pages.”
However, the shared community of values must not become a nostalgic affair for a single generation. “The transatlantic partnership needs new faces, new points of identification and a common vision of how our societies should develop on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Steinmeier.
The Federal President emphasized that Ukraine still needs Western solidarity. “And we will provide this support for as long as necessary.” Everyone, especially the Ukrainians, wished that the suffering and dying would soon come to an end. But the end of the war cannot be wished for. “Russia can determine the path to the end of this war every day.” However, President Vladimir Putin was “buried in his imperial obsession”. One shouldn’t delude oneself: “There is currently no end in sight to the war,” said Steinmeier.
Background Atlantic Bridge
