Germany accuses Russia of twisting the minister’s warfare feedback as “propaganda”.

BERLIN, Jan 27 (Reuters) – Russia has twisted feedback by the German international minister on the warfare in Ukraine for propaganda functions, a spokesman for Germany’s international ministry stated on Friday, stressing Berlin’s place that NATO should not turn into a celebration to the battle.

German International Minister Annalena Baerbock angered Moscow with feedback at an occasion in Strasbourg on Tuesday, saying in English that “we’re preventing a warfare in opposition to Russia and never in opposition to one another”.

Talking the day earlier than the German authorities introduced it might arm Ukraine with superior Leopard tanks, she brushed apart earlier considerations whether or not such a transfer may immediate Moscow to escalate the warfare.

Russian International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in a put up on her Telegram information channel quoted by state information company TASS on Wednesday, cited Baerbock’s feedback as proof that the West was waging a “premeditated warfare in opposition to Russia.”

Whereas Baerbock has usually sounded extra hawkish than different members of Germany’s cupboard in the case of supporting Ukraine, Berlin has repeatedly burdened that it needs to keep away from the NATO alliance turning into a celebration to the battle. This concern was one of many causes for Germany’s delay in agreeing to ship the Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

“Russian propaganda retains taking statements, sentences, attitudes, positions of the federal government, our companions and makes use of them for their very own functions,” stated the spokesman for the Federal International Workplace.

Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24 final 12 months, quantities to an unprovoked warfare of aggression aimed toward gaining territory. Moscow says the West is utilizing Ukraine to weaken Russia’s personal safety.

Reporting by Rachel Extra and Miranda Murray Writing by Matthias Williams Enhancing by Frances Kerry Enhancing by Paul Carrel

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