Over 700 pages of political memoir, minimal self-criticism. OR Merkel does not admit mistakes for “no” in Ukraine in 2008 but also the close relations with Russia.

A standing ovation in Berlin’s packed Deutsches Theater for Angela Merkel in her first ‘live’ interview in years to mark the official launch of her memoir Freiheit (Freedom) on 26 November.

“This was Merkel”, as she said herself, wanting to present her own perspective on the political reality of the 16 years of her chancellorship, a period that defined European and international history. But without any examples of self-criticism, nor admitting mistakes, except perhaps for the non-acceleration of a more dynamic climate policy and the early strengthening of Germany’s defense spending.

It stands firm to this day on its main political positions, for which it has been heavily criticized, especially in relation to the foreign policy it has pursued in relation to Kiev and Moscow.

To this day, it insists on the German “no” that it said in 2008 to Ukraine’s accession to NATO, but also on its decision for a consistent, close economic cooperation with Russia through the Russo-German Nord Stream pipelines, as was seen yesterday during the of a two-hour interview he gave to the popular German journalist Anne Will on the stage of the historic theater.

“Let’s not underestimate him Putin»

“The 2008 decision on Ukraine was correct and I still support it today. Then, keeping in mind the cheap energy for the German economy, but also with political criteria, I decided not to completely destroy this relationship we had with Russia. Looking back, I appreciate that there was nothing wrong,” Angela Merkel said.

At the same time, however, he commented on the current situation, the war in Ukraine, condemning the Russian attack. “Putin’s attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022 did not fundamentally change the situation not only for Ukraine but also for us as members of NATO, especially in Europe. It is in our interest not to leave Ukraine alone so that Russia does not win this war,” he said.

As for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he knew well over the years, he said, he always considered regular and personal contact with him better than distance or isolation. Commenting indirectly on the Russian escalation in recent weeks, he said: “It would be a mistake to underestimate Putin.” And this wording has weight because she is perhaps the only politician in the West who spoke with Vladimir Putin directly and even in his language, Russian.

Distances from the Mertz migration line

However, she sees no mistake in her position on the refugee issue, considering 2015 and the peak of the refugee crisis in Europe as the biggest challenge of her political career, along with perhaps the management of the Greek debt crisis, which she also goes through thoroughly in her memoirs. . He disagrees with the stance of the current leader of the Christian Democrats and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, who calls for closed borders and deportations. Going back to August 2015 he recalls:

“The alternative would then be to stop people at the border with water cannons or something similar. Something like that for me would be even worse,” he said yesterday.

As for her fundamental disagreements with Friedrich Merz about the appropriate course for a Christian Democratic party to take on immigration, she merely said: “We have different views.”