The former Bundestag member mentioned that the Western countries will not provide military assistance even in case of a full-scale invasion. “This is harsh reality. They are ready to fight a political or economic war, but not with the military force. Ukraine has to focus on the development of its own army”, he underscored.
Karsten VOIGT additionally pointed out to the audience that it is not an internal conflict within Ukraine, but an international conflict, and Russia is one of the parties in this conflict. He underscored that the international order should not be built on power and force, but instead should be based on law. Mr VOIGT pointed at Germany as an example of considering the interests of its neighbors and thus keeping good relations with everyone. He stated that a policy of inclusion, instead of domination, would be the best for Russia as well. However, he expressed an opinion that Russia is not interested in stabilization of the situation in Ukraine.
“Europe objects to the Russia’s offers to determine the influence regions again. Small states have to be involved in all negotiations concerning their fate”, said the former President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, concluding his speech.
REFERENCE INFORMATION:
The Open World Discussion Club is an educational project of Arsenii Yatseniuk’s “Open Ukraine” foundation for socially active youth. Its goal is to bring up a new generation of responsible leaders. Every month, the Foundation arranges lectures by well-known experts, politicians, and community leaders for discussion of the ways for effective solution of social problems in Ukraine and in the world.
Karsten VOIGT worked as a coordinator of German–North American Cooperation at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2010, and was a member of the German–American “Atlantic Bridge” (Atlantik-Brücke) organization, an association established to promote dialogue and understanding between Germany and the USA. Mr Voigt studied history, German, and Scandinavian languages and literature at the universities in Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt from 1960 to 1969. From 1969 to 1972, he was chairman of the Jusos, organization of Young Socialists in the SPD.
From 1976 to 1998 he was a member of the Bundestag, a member of the foreign affairs and defense committees. Mr Voigt was also a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 1977 to 1998, chairman of the Defense and Security Committee between 1989 and 1993, Vice President (1992–1994) and President (1994–1996) of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Member of the Atlantic Initiative Council, Senior Research Fellow and Member of the Board of the German Council on Foreign Relations (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik), member of the Kuratorium (Supervisory Board) of Aspen Institute in Berlin, Kuratorium of Einstein Forum in Potsdam, as well as a member of the International Relations Committee and Turkey Task Group of the board of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. His monograph titled “Religion and Politics. Comparison of the Situation in Germany and the USA” was published in 2007.
