A critical speech by writer Marko Martin in Bellevue Palace and the reaction of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to it are causing a stir.
Martin had, among other things, at an event about the fall of the Berlin Wall 35 years ago Steinmeier’s attitude towards Russia and Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin denounced during his time as German Foreign Minister. According to Martin, Steinmeier responded to this with one at the reception after the event Outburst of anger. “Bild” first reported the incident.
“He came rushing in to lecture me about his job,” Martin told the German Press Agency in Berlin. Steinmeier asked him whether he enjoyed defaming politicians. When asked, the Federal President’s spokeswoman said that Steinmeier was at the reception with Martin “Controversial but objective discussions about his speech”.
You can see even more politics here
Recommended editorial content
Here you will find external content selected by our editors to enrich the article with additional information for you. Here you can display or hide the external content with one click.
I agree that the external content can be displayed to me. This means that personal data can be transmitted to third-party platforms. You can find more information about this in the data protection settings. You can find these at the bottom of our page in the footer, so you can manage or revoke your settings at any time.
Martin accused Steinmeier of, among other things, this in his speech Sticking to the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project before: This “was only a bridge” – your words from spring 2022 – in that it further encouraged Putin in his aggression, namely in his calculation that the Germans, otherwise world champions in moralizing, would not let the lucrative business slip away would, Ukraine or not.”
The writer told the dpa: “We have a Federal President who refuses this debate, the debate about the German shared responsibility for Putin’s aggression.“ (dpa)