The head of Germany’s navy resigned after his comments on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine caused backlash.
At an event in India on Friday, Vice-admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach argued that Putin was not interested in taking any territory from Ukraine. “Is Russia really interested in having a tiny strip of Ukrainian soil, to integrate into their country?” he said.
Schönbach suggested that Putin is really looking for respect. “On eye level, he wants respect. And my God, giving him respect is low cost, even no cost. It is easy to give him the respect he demands, and probably deserves,” he said.
Schönbach said Crimea is “gone” and said the territory would “never come back” to Ukraine. He also argued that if the West had closer ties with Moscow, it would keep Russia away from China.
Amid heightened tensions with Russia, Ukrainian officials have been extra sensitive. Schönbach’s comments upset Andriy Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany. Melnyk said Schoenback “massively called into question Germany’s trustworthiness and reliability, not just from a Ukrainian point of view.”
Germany has already been under pressure for not joining its NATO allies in sending weapons to Ukraine. The new coalition government in Berlin has agreed not to send weapons to potential conflict zones and is sticking by the policy. Germany also has an interest in reducing tensions so the Nord Stream 2 pipeline can finally carry gas.
Even though Germany is taking a different approach than its NATO allies, Schönbach still felt pressured enough to resign after the sin of speaking favorably of Putin and realistically on Crimea.
My careless comments in India on security and military policy are an increasing burden on my office,” Schönbach said in a statement explaining why he resigned. “I consider this step necessary to avoid further damage to the German navy, the German military, but especially the Federal Republic of Germany.”
Truth is treason.
Why can’t we have admirals like this?
All we have is Lt. Col. Doug Macgregor.
We did. We fired him too.
U.S. Central Command Admiral William Fallon said of attacking Iran, “Will Not Happen On My Watch.” So they fired him.
OMG…. The unforgivable sin. Uttering the truths the empie rather to never hear. Or more importantly, the truths they demand never be uttered to the press and to the people of the world that they wish to control. Some times, a fearless truth teller like Vice-admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach who argued that Putin deserves respect. Let’s not forget that Julian Assange is being imprisoned, tortured and murdered for showing the ugly face of the “free” empire. Free to rob rape and murder…. but, hey, they say it’s all for own good, but never add, its for Their bank accounts. Is Vice-admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach a “Woke” person? Not drinking the official Kool aid lines that keep this world at War and in tatters to the weapons sellers, and theft advocates who encourage larceny like the U.S stealing Syria’s oil. Or like some fanatical groups stealing whole countrie’s to establish an apartheid hell for those they took the place from. Will any good come to good people when these sort of events suck up all their tax money to spend to keep the world safe for exploitation and disinfranchisement of those who work to better themselves and their neighbors.
Whups. I guess NATO didn’t keep Germany down hard enough.
Germany accidentally promoted a halfways competent man to their Admiralty.
Schönbach was smart enough to say what needed to be said, even if it cost him his job.
He may anticipate some very disagreeable orders pending, to think it best to pull the pin now.
Yeah, I don’t know what shit assignments look like in Germany’s military but that’s all he was going to see.
Before getting on the German admiral bandwagon go watch the video of his remark😂. This is a simple minded commander with us vs them mentality with the them being China and he wants to shower putin with false flattery so he takes Russia away from China.
Also putin isn’t doing it for respect he is doing it to serve Russian interests
“Also putin isn’t doing it for respect he is doing it to serve Russian interests”
Why on earth not? His job is that.
btw President Putin deserves respect MUCH MORE that the murderous leaders of the US∕UK. Sanctions have killed so many Iranians, Syrians, Venezuelans, and all the rest. Weapons of any kind are used to destroy “enemies” of the Empire.
Great to see free speech in action in the “independent democracies” of NATO under the US rule, now not only told what to do by Israel, but by the Great Power of Ukraine. What on earth valid reason can the USA have for this bowing to Kiev? How can Germany accept that a Russian gas commercial deal can be stopped at huge cost to Europe and NONE to the USA boss? Why is a senior officer in the German Navy not allowed to make true and obvious comments, which should be followed by any sane government, not used to toss out such a person?
Germany at least is refusing to send arms to Kiev but the other pawns of NATO (like Canada with its huge Ukrainian influence on the government) and especially rabidly Russophobe UK, seem intent on ensuring no peace is possible, for no discernible motive except US continued dominance of as much of the world as possible.
He is entitled to his opinion. But military men may not express their political views about world leaders while under command.
They should when their “leaders” are batshit insane!
Do they have their own version of the “UCMJ”? Legit question, I don’t know if they do.
Makes sense, but that would normally only apply to derogatory remarks.
Schönbach didn’t cross that line with Putin; its everything else he said that crossed the line.
His additional remarks, that Ukraine wasn’t getting Crimea back, and closer ties with Russia should be cultivated to prevent closer Russian ties with China, created an open diplomatic incident with Ukraine and was an obvious insult to China.
That’s why he had to resign.
Schönbach’s words may accurately reflect German thinking behind closed doors, but never be publicly revealed by any serving high official, especially a serving vice admiral.
The words “careless comments” got my attention. I guess this proves Mark Twain was wrong. Mark Twain: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”