Berbock commented on the hype over her photo with Scholz
German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock did not see what was going on behind her back in the photo that went viral on social networks, where she is standing with her back to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is reaching out to her. The minister said this to ZDF on January 18.
So Berbock commented on the photo in which she allegedly leaves a government meeting while Scholz tries to stop her by extending his hand to her. The head of state's departure was linked to the chancellor's blocking of a €3 billion aid package for Ukraine previously proposed by Berbock together with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
However, a photo from a different angle shows the foreign minister not leaving the room, but having a conversation with Minister at Large Wolfgang Schmidt.
"What is more symbolic for the times we live in is that the selective footage suggests something that is not actually happening," she said.
Earlier, on January 10, it was reported that the Chancellor of Germany blocked a new package for Ukraine in the amount of €3 billion, which was promoted by the heads of the German Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry. It was specified that the ministers wanted to provide new aid before the Bundestag election scheduled for February 23. At the same time, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on January 12 that Scholz did not prevent such a decision.
Later, on January 17, the head of the Sovfed Commission on Information Policy Alexei Pushkov said that the ruling coalition in the FRG represented by Berbock and Scholz finally broke up due to disagreements on the issue of aid to Ukraine.
Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine amid Russia's special operation to protect Donbass, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.
