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Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Bastock condemned Russia for blocking UN efforts to combat climate change.
Russia, a permanent member in good standing of the UN Security Council, obstructed the passage of an important resolution on climate change. Moscow argued that the proposal was the result of countries that have done most damage to the climate. They are now seeking sanctions against those who have done less.
Baerbock described the move as “regrettable” and said that it fell within the purview UN Security Council because “we can all see, worldwide, just like we can see in Europe how the climate crisis is exacerbating conflicts.”
According to the Green Party politician, climate change is “a driver” for violence in “areas already fragile.”
India, which doesn’t have veto power at all, voted against the resolution, while China abstained.
Baerbock calls on ‘new momentum’ to nuclear disarmament
Germany’s top diplomat was speaking on the sidelines of an anti-weapons proliferation conference in Sweden. She stated that the anti-armament movement needed “urgently new momentum” and promised that Europe would play an important role in creating a “safe planet.”
Baerbock confirmed the new governing coalition, which includes the Social Democrats (SPD) and the neoliberal Free Democratss (FDP), would be seeking to join the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty.
She stressed that these summits were not to be used for just talking, but to bring about concrete changes.
The foreign minister stated, “We cannot afford another review conference that does not produce tangible results.”
To this end, she thanked leaders and activists who had created a plan “to make our world safer from nuclear arms step by step.” She stated that the summit’s purpose was to “ensure this path is followed.”
Baerbock’s remarks were made in the context of the US withdrawing from many major disarmament agreements in recent years. This included letting the INF agreement lapse in 2019. Former President Donald Trump alleged that Moscow was not following the rules of the treaty at the time.
The US-Russia bilateral non-proliferation deal is the only one that remains. The New Start Strategic Disarmament Treaty allows both nuclear arsenals to have 800 delivery systems and 1,550 nuclear warheads.
es/fb (AFP, dpa)
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