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Israel’s attacks are not illegal, while Russia has violated international order by its war against Ukraine, says Merkel
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a significant statement in which she clearly distinguished Russia’s war against Ukraine from Israel’s strikes on Iran, Deutsche Welle reports.
Russia has called for an end to the war against Iran, strongly urging de-escalation. Tehran has been helping Moscow since 2022 to wage a war against Ukraine by supplying thousands of kamikaze drones. Both Iran and Russia use terror against civilians as the central part of their military campaigns.
According to her, Russia’s full-scale invasion constitutes a blatant violation of the international order, whereas Israel’s actions are of a different nature.
“I don’t fully agree that Israel is violating international law. When a country’s existence is being questioned by Iran or Hamas, it’s not so easy to respond strictly within the framework of international law,” the ex-German chancellor says.
Merkel emphasizes that in Israel’s case, it is about the right to self-defense in the face of threats to the state’s very existence. At the same time, she pointed out clearly that Ukraine posed no such threat.
“Ukraine never threatened Russia — and yet it was attacked,” adds Merkel, underscoring Russia’s breach of international law.
Earlier, Herman Pirchner, president of the American Foreign Policy Council, said a potential US strike on a major Iranian nuclear program may force Moscow to reconsider its approach to the war in Ukraine.
US strike on Iran could force Moscow to imagine what real strength feels like, says expert
Such a decision could impact Moscow’s calculus, as they have yet to see a firm response from the US President Donald Trump administration, as America has not yet responded strongly to any of the Russian attacks, which have only intensified amid peace efforts.
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