The co-leader of the far-left party Die Linke (Left) has spoken out against closer ties between NATO and Ukraine and the supply of more weapons to Kiev’s armed forces.
During a recent trip to Ukraine, Jan van Aken told dpa that he thought it would be “a mistake to say that the only way we can be sure of security is by being a member of NATO.”
He also said that “we must first try all other options, between simply supplying weapons and doing nothing.”
As one option, he mentioned imposing tougher sanctions on the Kremlin, highlighting the oil tankers Russia uses for oil exports.
He said he found it “incomprehensible” that the German coast guard “turns a blind eye when several million dollars’ worth of oil passes by every day.”
Keeping oil tankers “on a leash” would create “enormous pressure,” he said.
Pressure on Russia could also be increased by China, which describes itself as neutral in the war. “China made another offer to the West in March, together with Brazil,” he said. Germany and Europe must respond to this and enable the start of peace negotiations.
According to him, for an end to the war it is important not only to sign a peace treaty, but that Ukraine also receives material security guarantees, which could come from Europe. “But a material security guarantee could also be a ceasefire, with Chinese and American soldiers walking around like blue helmets,” he said as an example.
It was the left-wing politician’s first visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
