Thuringia state governor Bodo Ramelow believes it is time to “think of Europe as a whole,” with Russia as part of it
The governor of the German state of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, has proposed creating a new pan-European security “order” that would include Russia.
In an interview with the Funke Media Group published on Sunday, the left-wing politician suggested that all European nations join such an alliance and help reorganize the security architecture in the region.
“All participating states must conclude a non-aggression pact and form a defense community that focuses on resolving conflicts on the European continent,” Ramelow stated.
He noted that his suggestion should not be perceived as aimed at NATO, which considers Russia a threat, but as a step towards the reorganization of European defense.
“We must finally think of Europe as a whole, and Russia is part of that,” the governor stated.
Ramelow admitted the changes he proposes would be difficult to accomplish in the near term. Despite seemingly offering an olive branch to Moscow, he slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “dictator” and the Russian government as “a repression apparatus,” and called on the West “to support those who want change in Russia.” He also warned of “smoldering conflicts that Putin can ignite,” such as territorial disputes in Moldova and Georgia.
Ramelow’s dig at the Russian leader was in line with statements made by a number of Western politicians, who have claimed that if Russia wins in the Ukraine conflict, Putin could then attack other European countries.
Russia has repeatedly brushed aside such warnings, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling them baseless “horror stories.” Putin has made similar statements, dismissing talk of a ‘Russian threat’ as “nonsense” and propaganda by governments aiming to scare Europeans “to extract additional expenses” from them. He has also said that one of the goals of Moscow’s current military operation against Ukraine is to ensure Russia’s security in light of the threat posed by NATO’s expansion toward its borders.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in late July that despite the West’s stance on the Ukraine conflict and the sanctions it has heaped on Moscow over the past two years, Russia remains open to dialogue and cooperation with Western countries, including on issues of security. However, any such dialogue should be based on “equality and full respect” for all partners.
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