German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said that support for Ukraine and Israel may have cost the Germans the votes needed to secure a seat on the UN Security Council, the BBC reports.
Wadephul described the loss of the seat on the evening of the 3rd of June, after a vote on which five countries would rotate to the UN Security Council, as a “bitter defeat.” The minister said that Russia’s strong support for Ukraine had forced it to do everything it could to keep Germany off the council, and that it was no secret that the Russians were trying to turn the others against the Germans.
The UN Security Council has five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – and 10 countries that hold seats on the council for a fixed term. Wadephul said Germany has always taken a clear position on specific issues, and not all member states agree with it: “The fact that Germany must always assume a special responsibility for Israel in the Middle East conflict may also have cost votes.”
Russia has not responded to accusations that it incited against Germany’s election to the council.
The failure to secure a seat on the UN Security Council is also a huge blow to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. His critics from the opposition parties have pointed out that, despite presenting himself as someone who would increase Germany’s influence on the international political stage, his position at home is unstable and he is now humiliated abroad.
Meanwhile, Merz said that Germany will continue to firmly support the international system, and congratulated Austria and Portugal on winning seats on the UN Security Council.
Read also: “Today I do not have reassuring news” – President warns about Latvia’s security situation