German navy chief under fire for Putin, Crimea comments | DW | 22.01.2022

Germany faced a diplomatic incident on Saturday following comments made by Navy chief Kay-Achim Schönbach on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Ukraine crisis.

During a visit to India, Schönbach gave a talk at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, where he said Putin "probably" deserved respect.

"What he really wants is respect," the vice admiral said, speaking in English in remarks that were posted on a video on YouTube.

"And, my God, giving someone respect is low cost, even no cost. ... It is easy to give him the respect he really demands — and probably also deserves," Schönbach said, calling Russia an old and important country.

Schönbach said Russia's actions in Ukraine needed to be addressed, but added that "the Crimea Peninsula is gone: It will never come back — this is a fact."

The remarks directly contradicted the official view held by the EU and the US. Washington and its allies say that Moscow's 2014 annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine was unacceptable and must be reversed.