Andrei Melnik did not apologize for his offensive remarks to politicians in Berlin

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany criticizes the country that hosts him

Controversial Ukrainian ambassador to Germany.

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The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany is "not at all diplomatic," according to the Washington Post, which interviewed him at his home in the capital, Berlin. Andrei Melnik tweeted, commenting on a German politician who criticized the Ukrainian Azov forces, saying: "You'd better shut your dirty leftist mouth." ».

In one of his most insults that made headlines, he described German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as "irritable", using the German term "sausage", which is used in such situations, for his refusal to visit Kyiv amid a dispute over German President Frank-Walter's relations. Steinmeier, Prussia.

However, Melnik, who has been the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany since 2014, did not apologize for his words.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

■ She played the role of a critic, and abandoned the usual diplomatic traditions, becoming the target of criticism as well.

Last month, she appeared on Germany's largest political talk show, and clashed with a German thinker, Harald Welzer, who called for a halt to arms supplies to Ukraine.

Wilzer described you as "an unbelievably abusive person."

Do you intend to make any kind of apology to the German leaders?

■■ I don't care what they think, I'm not here for a beauty pageant, if any of them feel offended, I don't really care.

My only job is to tell people the truth about what is happening in this catastrophic situation in my country.

■ Your frankness has generated waves of anger in the sober world of German politics, and your friction with the German political establishment also appears to reflect broader tensions in the relationship between Ukraine and Germany. Ukraine has taken a hard line toward its allies in the war against Russia, challenging them - rather than begging them - to do more. .

Even when Berlin became a major partner, you also silenced it as the number one enemy in Kyiv.

Why this behavior towards one of the most important allies in this war?

■■ Germany, at least when it comes to Ukraine, makes its decisions only under pressure.

Only when she is asked to do so publicly, when she is asked to explain publicly, and when there has been an ongoing debate for some time, only then does she have a decision.

In April, after weeks of tense wrangling over sending heavy weapons to Ukraine, Schulz finally agreed to deliver German-made anti-aircraft vehicles, but two months later, heavy weapons from Germany had yet to arrive in Ukraine.

Germany is the world champion in advertising, but it does nothing.

■ But the chancellor says he will not travel to Kyiv after Ukrainian leaders ignored the visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who called for a "soft" attitude toward Moscow before the invasion.

■■ The Chancellor's trip to Kyiv will undoubtedly be "symbolic" for the soldiers on the ground, because the question now is: Is Germany on our side?

But now I worry that Schulz can't even convince himself that Ukraine should win the war.

Instead of saying that Ukraine should win the war, he says: Russia shouldn't win - small difference - but I think it is important.

■ Ukrainian soldiers are now training in Germany on 2000 howitzers, after Berlin pledged to send seven of those cannons to Ukraine.

Do you not appreciate this support from Germany?

■■ I think that number is not enough as Ukraine needs 800 to 1000 guns to be successful on the battlefield.

And the Iris-T air defense system that Germany pledged to provide this month will not change the rules of the game, but rather the game changes when Germany decides to forget its rational national interests, and help with everything it can. While Germany pledged to phase out dependence on Russian oil by the end of the year, the A moratorium on Russian gas imports will be key to putting pressure on Moscow, as painful as it may be for Europe.

And if Germany stops the gas for three months - and the associated payments - we will see that Putin will change course, I am sure he will.

Andrej Melnik: Germany is the world champion in advertising, but it does nothing.

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