Editor’s Note: This feature separates Ukraine’s friends from its enemies. The Order of Yaroslav the Wise has been given since 1995 for distinguished service to the nation. It is named after the Kyivan Rus leader from 1019-1054, when the medieval empire reached its zenith. The Order of Lenin was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union, whose demise Russian President Vladimir Putin mourns. It is named after Vladimir Lenin, whose corpse still rots on the Kremlin’s Red Square, 100 years after the October Revolution he led.
Ukraine’s Friend of the Week: Heiko Maas
The United States and the United Kingdom on April 16 warned that Russia has been waging a hacking campaign to compromise network routers, potentially allowing the Kremlin to intercept data and launch disruptive cyber attacks on key infrastructure in countries around the world.
That’s a worry, because the Kremlin is already thought to have carried out such attacks, in Estonia in 2007 and more recently in Ukraine, which suffered attacks on some of its power grids in 2015, and a malware attack in 2017 (disguised as a ransomware attack) that affected government, bank and retail systems nationwide. This most recent attack quickly spread to other countries – even to Russia, almost certainly the source of the attack.
The U.S. and U.K. warning noted that routers worldwide had been affected, and Australia announced the same day that up to 400 of its enterprises may have been the target of the Kremlin’s malicious hacking.
Germany has also been subject to cyber attack – again almost certainly by the Kremlin.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told German broadcaster ZDF on April 15 that his own ministry had been subject to cyber-meddling. The attack, which occurred in December, was disclosed by German government officials in February.
“We had an attack on the Foreign Ministry where we have to assume that it stemmed from Russia,” Mass told the German broadcaster ZDF, according to a report by Reuters. “We can’t just wish all that away … And I think it’s not only reasonable but necessary to point out that we do not view those as constructive contributions.”
Quite. Maas also told ZDF that Russia’s “problematic actions” included its failure to observe the proposed ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England, in early March, Russia’s support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has used chemical weapons on his own population, and Russia’s interference in elections in Western countries.
He also said Moscow must change its ways.
Those are welcome words from a German foreign minister, particularly since the last two, Sigmar Gabriel and before him Frank-Walter Steinmeier, were notable for their lack of toughness on the Kremlin. Maas is thus Ukraine Friend of the Week and a winner of the Order of Yaroslav the Wise.
With the United Kingdom likely to follow though on its self-harming decision to leave the European Union, which will (as the Kremlin gleefully watches on) damage its economy, and weaken its political influence and authority in the world, Germany will soon emerge as the undisputed leader of Europe.
As such, Germany will be at the forefront of protecting Europe and the West from future hostility from the Kremlin, and responding to future cyber attacks. It is good to hear statements from Maas that indicate that he is aware of the threat the Kremlin poses. It is to be hoped that his words are also matched by action.
Ukraine’s Foe of the Week: Frank-Walter Steinmeier
If one were to estimate German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s alignment in the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, he’d probably come out “True Neutral.”
For those not familiar with D&D, in this game, characters choose an alignment that represents their character traits, which determines their reactions and decisions in the game, along the axes of “Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic” and “Good, Neutral, or Evil.” This allows nine character permutations.
The “Neutral Neutral” or “True Neutral” character is defined like this, according to Wikipedia: “(This character) has a normal respect for authority and feels neither a compulsion to follow rules nor a compulsion to rebel. They are honest but can be tempted into lying or deceiving others if it suits him/her. (They) have compunctions against killing the innocent, but lack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. Neutral people are committed to others by personal relationships.”
That’s a fair assessment of many a politician, the cynics among us might add. But it’s not a good character to have when one has to deal with the “Chaotic Evil” D&D nature of the Kremlin, which is characterized by “recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility, as well as harming and oppressing others, and killing people without qualms if doing so is convenient or if it can be set up.”
So while it might be slightly harsh to again name Steinmeier Ukraine’s Foe of the Week and award him another Order of Lenin, it is still true that his “True Neutral” alignment, when it comes to his comments about the Kremlin, does Ukraine no good, and could do it harm.
For instance, in an interview in German newspaper Bild am Sonntag published on April 15, Steinmeier warned against “demonizing Russia.”
In fact, few if any responsible, influential politicians or public figures are doing much demonizing of Russia. It is the Kremlin itself, by constantly harping on in faux rage about “Russophobia,” and by its criminal actions, international lawbreaking and lying, that does the most to demonize the country.
On the other hand, Steinmeier urged German politicians to avoid portraying Russia and its people as an enemy. But Russia (or more correctly the Kremlin), while not formally an enemy of the West, is plainly hostile to Western values and principles, and has acted to undermine Western institutions, media, and elections. Those are not the actions of a friend, and not to acknowledge this would be foolish.
In trying to be neutral and balanced towards the Kremlin, Steinmeier just appears weak and accommodating, which is not how one should behave when faced with a strong, aggressive and hostile regime.
One could argue that Germany, which gets around a third of the gas it consumes from Russia, has to be careful not to upset Russia, but that is to ignore the converse – Russia, which needs to sell its gas under favorable (for it) terms to Germany, should also be careful not to upset Europe’s economic superpower.
Steinmeier, as the head of state of Germany (although the role is largely ceremonial) would do better to remind the Kremlin of that economic reality, rather than making appeasing, neutral statements.
