German Envoy Hails Iran Conflict Pause, Oil Price Stability
German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann on Thursday expressed optimism that the ongoing 60-day negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme will succeed, following a recent halt in the conflict. Speaking to ANI, he highlighted the global relief brought by the pause, particularly in stabilizing oil supplies and prices.
"Generally speaking, I think everybody is very happy that the war has or the conflict has come to an end, a halt at least. What we see is that the oil transport is flowing again. You feel it here; oil prices have gone down," Ackermann said.
He added that the conflict had a significant impact worldwide, including in India, Southeast Asia, and Europe, even though Europe does not source much oil from the Persian or Arabian Gulf. "The oil prices go up everywhere. So for us, it was a big blow, and therefore, I think everybody is happy that we have come to an end of this conflict."
Nuclear Negotiations Underway
Referring to the diplomatic efforts, Ackermann said, "Now negotiations are going on, and we of course want to see what happens with the nuclear capabilities and capacities of Iran. Therefore, I'm very hopeful that these negotiations will lead to success after sixty days."
Russia-Ukraine Conflict: No Readiness for Talks
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ackermann noted a shift in warfare, with Ukraine using new technologies to strike deep inside Russia. "We have seen a shift in the way of leading this war. The Ukrainians have been extremely aggressive in a way that they have with their new technologies, really having an impact inside Russia all of a sudden. Even very far away from Ukraine, they can destroy refineries or at least damage them and also infrastructure. I think that is a new development, a new phenomenon that makes a lot of problems for Russia."
He observed that Russia has not made significant advances on the battlefield. "But at the same time, Russia, I think, is not really advancing in Ukraine. So both sides sit in the trenches; there are only small gains of territory, if at all. So I think we are in a difficult situation."
Ackermann was blunt about the prospects for peace: "But frankly, and I want to be very honest with you, I don't see any readiness by the Russian side to engage in discussion. That is very frustrating. So I don't see this conflict ending soon."
Europe's Unwavering Support for Ukraine
He reaffirmed Europe's commitment to Ukraine, stating, "But you should know that Europe, and we have shown that also in the conference in Gdansk in Poland yesterday, Europe is standing firmly with Ukraine and will also support Ukraine. The conflict will last, but the support of Europe will not fade."
