By Randy Foreman, White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON – (Newsblaze) German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined President Barrack Obama in the East Room of the White House Monday with a message about Russia’s recent incursion into Ukraine in the face of a conflict that maybe escalating militarily.
“We stand up for the same principles of inviolability of territorial integrity. For somebody who comes from Europe, I can only say if we give up this principle of territorial integrity of countries, then we will not be able to maintain the peaceful order of Europe that we’ve been able to achieve. This is not just any old point, it’s an essential, a crucial point, and we have to stand by it.” Merkel remarked to an overflowing crowd of German and American reporters.
In recent days, as the Financial Times notes, 5,000 Ukrainian nationals have died in the fighting and more than that have become refugees. The two leaders constantly referred through the fifty minute presser about the need for a diplomatic solution.
“I think both Angela and I have emphasized that the prospect for a military solution to this problem has always been low. Russia obviously has an extraordinarily powerful military. And given the length of the Russian border with Ukraine, given the history between Russia and Ukraine, expecting that if Russia is determined, that Ukraine can fully rebuff a Russian army has always been unlikely.” Barrack Obama noted.
However, diplomatic efforts were limited as the President also said “And in the face of this aggression and these bad decisions, we can’t simply try to talk them out of it. We have to show them that the world is unified in imposing a cost for this aggression. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
But when the two leaders were pressed by German reporters as to what the “redline” was the answer was somewhat murky:
“So there’s not going to be any specific point at which I say, ah, clearly lethal defensive weapons would be appropriate here. It is our ongoing analysis of what can we do to dissuade Russia from encroaching further and further on Ukrainian territory. Our hope is, is that that’s done through diplomatic means.” the American president remarked.
Merkel and Obama noted that the Ukrainian situation would be on the agenda for a June G7 summit in Bavaria.
