Asselborn about Putin: « We were too blue -eyed »

When Jean Asselborn records the podcast sequence of « Apocalypse & Filter coffee », he just comes from a visit to Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Bellevue Castle in Berlin. His schedule is still filled-further interviews are coming up, and in the evening the Luxair machine is already waiting for the return flight to Luxembourg. Retirement looks different. « It is not the case that I now only lie on my lazy skin or ride a bike, » explains the former foreign minister with a smile. To talk about interviews in schools and universities – his expertise is still in demand.

In the podcast he looks back to 20 years in office as Foreign Minister. « Most of it was seen. As Foreign Minister, there were repetitions where I felt that it is no longer what I need. » If he simply found himself into his new role as an ex-politician, the moderator Wolfgang Heim wants to know. The affirmative Asselborn: « Democracy does not need so many long -running favorites, but lives from the variety, the voter has also decided. »

He is said to have seen a total of 340 foreign ministers. « Every time someone came new in a country, it started all over again because there was no continuity in it, it was sometimes tiring. » Especially with the German colleagues, he can easily list the change: it started in 2004 with Joschka Fischer, then Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Guido Westerwelle, again Steinmeier, Sigmar Gabriel-lovingly called « Siggi » by Aselborn-Heiko Maas and finally Annalena Baerbock.

Russia has gambled trust

While the interview is recorded, Wolodymyr Selenskyj is for talks with Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin – a timing that could hardly be more symbolic. « After Selenskyj’s visit to Friedrich Merz with Ukraine? » the moderator caught.

Asselborn’s answer is sobering: « The thing is that Putin does not want peace. There is therefore not to be spoken of a peace treaty. There are two countries that can press him, one is China. I am a bit disappointed (…) Then the USA and Trump is still there.

Europe is responsible for making Trump and the Chinese clear that there are no two equal pages in this war – the roles of the attackers and victims are clearly distributed. « As long as there is no ceasefire, thousands of people will still die for this senseless war. » Therefore, Europe Trump has to make it clear that it is not enough to only betting verbally against Putin. Thoods are asked – for example by bypass rigorous with sanctions.

But couldn’t you have been able to see Putin’s plans earlier? Asselborn becomes thoughtful: « We were too blue -eyed. Or in other words: we did our best to keep peace. » In fact, there were moments that gave hope – as in 2001, when Putin gave and promised to bring Russia on the way of democracy in the Bundestag.

The reality drew a different picture: in 2008 the Caucasus War, 2014 the annexation of the Crimea, 2022 The war of aggression on Ukraine. « He kicked our trust with feet, » says Asselborn Bitter. The warning signals could have been interpreted.

A scene from 2005 was particularly impressed by him: he was sitting with Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso (former President of the European Commission) and Javier Solana (General Secretary of the Council of the European Union) on negotiations in the Kremlin. « (…) At that time there were Russia and the EU strategic partners and he said: ‘The largest catastrophe of the 20th century was not the Shoah or the war, but the collapse of the Soviet Union.’

For Asselborn, the change of his long -time colleague Sergei Lavrow is particularly painful. He knows the Russian Foreign Minister for over twenty years, both of them got on well. Lavrow was even a guest at a birthday party in Luxembourg. « There is brainwashing in the game. That a person like Lavrov, who knew and knew and defended the Charter of the United Nations as the UN ambassador, suddenly developed certain theories (…) He never had positions that would justify a war. » However, the Luxemburger estimates its actual influence: « There are oligarchs who have more to report. »

Gaza: Israel runs into ruin

Then both turn to another stove. The pictures from Gaza are depressed by Gaza: « I was three times in Gaza as Foreign Minister. I saw the conditions under which people live there. When young boys don’t get any medication that does not get babies, what does Netanyahu want? » His voice becomes more urgent: « If Gaza is on the ground, the problem is not solved. »

Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy of the past two decades is intensified. Instead of looking for solutions, he systematically torpedoed the two -state solution, and his settlement policy was a permanent provocation. Asselborn’s criticism of Israel’s Prime Minister becomes sharp: « He made capital mistakes and without October 7th he would be his office. Around Gaza was not a supervision, they were all in the West Bank, that told me witnesses who survived. » He adds: « If this war is over, he comes to court. »

But he also sees the Israeli government as part of the problem: « This is an extreme right government. Netanyahu is not even the worst. » The vision of a large island in which Palestinians are to be resettled to neighboring countries must be stopped. « I hope that the world will see with the Americans and Europeans that this is not feasible. » The West should clearly differentiate itself from this policy.

Nevertheless, it is not too late for a solution: « The problem can only be solved by finding a solution in which the Palestinians can also live in dignity. The whole thing alongside the Israelis, which of course also have the right to live in peace. »
The experienced diplomat concludes purely military solutions to the dead end: « Israel runs into ruin if they are only looking for military solutions. »