German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier used his Christmas speech to call for peace in Ukraine after 10 months of "terrible suffering." When peace comes, he said, it must benefit the Ukrainian people and not Russia.
In his remarks, Steinmeier said that when peace comes, it "must be a fair peace that neither rewards the land grab nor abandons people in Ukraine to the arbitrary actions and violence of their occupiers."
Steinmeier acknowledged that the war was also having an impact at home, especially economically. But he noted how the government had reduced the "heaviest burdens" — a reference to a program of subsidies introduced to offset the soaring cost of energy.
Turning to the climate emergency, Steinmeier noted it is vital that Germans stay the course in the transition to renewable energies.
The energy crisis, exacerbated by the war, has temporarily spurred the extension of three nuclear and several coal power plants, which Germany had hoped to phase out by now.
Steinmeier ended his speech by noting how citizens had, despite the obstacles, achieved more this year than many would have thought possible.

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutschewelleenglish?sub_confirmation=1

For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/
Follow DW on social media:
►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/
►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews
►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwnews
►Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/dwnews_hangout
Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch

#Germany #UkraineWar #Steinmeier