The head of the German navy, Kay-Achim Schönbach, resigned on Saturday night (22 January) after making controversial comments related to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the current situation in Ukraine. Vice Admiral Schönbach said, among other things, that Putin "deserves respect" and called it "a fact" that Ukraine will never get back the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in .
The Vice-admiral, who has led Germany's navy and represented it externally since March 2020, had said during a consultation in India on Friday (21 January) that Putin demands respect and that it is easy for Western powers to give it to him. After video footage of this appeared on YouTube and television, the German government publicly distanced itself from Schönbach's statements. The German Ministry of Defence said that the statements did not represent Berlin's position and could potentially undermine the position of Germany and the West towards Russia.
As a result of the commotion, Schönbach apologised and submitted his resignation, a statement reads.
"My careless comments in India on security and military policy are an increasing burden on my office," his statement said. "I consider this step necessary to avoid further damage to the German navy, the German military, but especially the Federal Republic of Germany."
The Ministry of Defence immediately accepted Schönbach's resignation. According to him, it was about personal opinions expressed during a discussion.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the German ambassador on Saturday because of "unacceptable statements by the commander of the German Navy". A spokesman for the ministry warned that the statements could weaken Western efforts to de-escalate the Russian/Ukrainian situation.
