«If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine; That’s why we have to support them.”
Just as Maria Margerete Gosse is optimistic regarding the management that Europe is doing of the effects of the war, she does not hide her great pessimism regarding the possibility that it will end soon. “I’m afraid it’s going to be long. Putin has made it clear in his last speech that he is not going to give up his objectives, “she warned in her speech. Her tone became especially harsh when referring to the Russian president and she did not hesitate to describe the invasion as “imperialist aggression.”
In his opinion, Ukraine has no choice but to continue to defend itself. “If you stop fighting, there will be no Ukraine,” he warned. That is why he defended that Europe must continue to support the country led by Volodimir Zelensky “‘as long as it takes’ –as long as it takes–, as Biden said during his visit to Kiev.”
Asked about the possibility of reaching a negotiated solution, the ambassador was very skeptical of Russia’s position. “Everyone wants to end the war. But what are we going to negotiate? Putin establishes as a condition that he be granted what he started the invasion for. That is not a basis for negotiation. Will is needed on both sides», she explained.
Faced with these dark prospects, Gosse insisted on the need for Europe to remain united in supporting Ukraine by sending arms and everything necessary. «I read in an Italian newspaper that the citizens of that country were tired of the war. I don’t understand how an Italian or any European can be tired of a war suffered by the Ukrainians», he stated with some indignation. He had previously referred to the data on fatalities in the war and the uncertainty suffered by the more than 12 million displaced persons and refugees that it has caused. “That number equals the population of Austria,” he recalled.
The diplomat warned that the invasion of Ukraine would become a “frozen conflict” if a deep peace is not reached. «It is what Russia usually does when she does not achieve her goals with quick action. In the Ukraine it has no power to advance and waits for its forces to run out or for the West to lose interest ».
In this regard, he recalled that the agreements reached after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 have not served to prevent a war. “Great diplomatic efforts were made then, but Russia’s will was lacking,” he noted. That is why he defended the need to keep up with Moscow. «Chancellor Scholz already said it when he spoke of the ‘zeitenwende’. The invasion represents a turning point in the relationship with Russia.
As a good diplomat, Gosse avoided getting wet in questions related to Spanish national politics, such as the differences over the shipment of arms within the Government of PSOE and Podemos. “My only advice for a coalition to work is to first negotiate some bases and then review their compliance.”
In his opinion, Ukraine has no choice but to continue to defend itself. “If you stop fighting, there will be no Ukraine,” he warned. That is why he defended that Europe must continue to support the country led by Volodimir Zelensky “‘as long as it takes’ –as long as it takes–, as Biden said during his visit to Kiev.”
Asked about the possibility of reaching a negotiated solution, the ambassador was very skeptical of Russia’s position. “Everyone wants to end the war. But what are we going to negotiate? Putin establishes as a condition that he be granted what he started the invasion for. That is not a basis for negotiation. Will is needed on both sides», she explained.
Faced with these dark prospects, Gosse insisted on the need for Europe to remain united in supporting Ukraine by sending arms and everything necessary. «I read in an Italian newspaper that the citizens of that country were tired of the war. I don’t understand how an Italian or any European can be tired of a war suffered by the Ukrainians», he stated with some indignation. He had previously referred to the data on fatalities in the war and the uncertainty suffered by the more than 12 million displaced persons and refugees that it has caused. “That number equals the population of Austria,” he recalled.
The diplomat warned that the invasion of Ukraine would become a “frozen conflict” if a deep peace is not reached. «It is what Russia usually does when she does not achieve her goals with quick action. In the Ukraine it has no power to advance and waits for its forces to run out or for the West to lose interest ».
In this regard, he recalled that the agreements reached after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 have not served to prevent a war. “Great diplomatic efforts were made then, but Russia’s will was lacking,” he noted. That is why he defended the need to keep up with Moscow. «Chancellor Scholz already said it when he spoke of the ‘zeitenwende’. The invasion represents a turning point in the relationship with Russia.