Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel defended her approach to Ukraine and Russia during her 16 years as Germany's leader, saying Tuesday that a much criticized 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine bought Kiev precious time and she won't apologize for her diplomatic efforts.

In her first public speech in about half a year, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel described Russia's attack on Ukraine as a "deep turning point".

She said she did not want to make assessments as a former chancellor, but Russia's invasion of its neighboring country was a gross violation of international law in European history since the end of World War II.

"The invasion may be the beginning of World War III and our civilization may not survive it." This was stated by the American billionaire George Soros in his traditional evening speech at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain town of Davos on the occasion of the war in Ukraine.

Billionaire George Soros (91) says Russia's invasion of Ukraine has "rattled Europe to its core" and could lead to the next world war.

Angela Merkel's reputation has been damaged in Germany in recent weeks, writes the Telegraph. "After the invasion of Ukraine, former ministers who served in her tenure, in turn, renounce its foreign policy," the paper writes.
"I never thought in my life that we would enter into such a crisis with Russia," said Wolfgang Schuble, a former finance minister during Merkel's term.

Images of bloodshed with killed civilians in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, toured the world. Ukrainian government accuses Russian soldiers of that. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also has serious objections to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Ukrainian President Zelensky has invited former German and French leaders Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy to come to the city of Bucha in the Kyiv region after the video, which the Russian Defense Ministry has already described as a staging and provocation.

The true story of a mother's battle to bring her son back from Guantanamo Bay premiered to cheers in Berlin Saturday, as the German filmmakers called for reparations for the family.

"Rabiye Kurnaz vs George W. Bush" is one of 18 movies from around the world vying for the Berlinale film festival's Golden Bear top prize, to be awarded on Feb. 16.

"It has never happened that all secretaries, all chefs and other staff members of my cabinet come to see Djokovic," Vucic told Djokovic, implying that such a large presence was not seen even when famous politicians like Angela Merkel came to the presidency.

U..S President Joe Biden said on Dec. 10 he called Germany's new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and discussed tensions on the Ukrainian border, where tens of thousands of Russian troops are massed.