German Chancellor Oalf Scholz Quotes EAM Jaishankar’s “Europe’s Mindset” Remark

GG News Bureau

Munich, 20th Feb. During the Munich Security Conference, German Chancellor Oalf Scholz cited External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s viral “European mindset” remark.

EAM Jaishankar, during the 17th edition of the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum in Slovakia last year, savagely replied to a question on India’s stand in the Russia-Ukraine war, and said, “Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.”

The context was used by the German Chancellor on Friday during the Munich Security Conference as he suggested a change in the so-called “mindset” and said that Jaishankar has “a point”.

“This quote from the Indian Foreign Minister is included in this year’s Munich Security Report and he has a point it wouldn’t be Europe’s problem alone if the law of the strong were to assert itself in international relations,” Scholz said.

He also stated that emphasizing shared values is not enough to be a credible European or North American in Jakarta or New Delhi.

“We have to generally address the interests and concerns of these countries as a basic prerequisite for joint action. And that’s why it was so important to me to not merely have representatives of Asia, Africa and Latin America at the negotiating table during the G Seven Summit last June. I really wanted to work with these regions to find solutions to the main challenges they face growing poverty and hunger, partly as a consequence of Russia’s war, as well as the impact of climate change or COVID-19,” he added.

Jaishankar was asked last year at the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum why he believes anyone will help New Delhi if there is a problem with China after it did not help others in Ukraine.

“Somewhere Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems. That if it is you, it’s yours, if it is me it is ours. I see reflections of that,” he had said.

“There is a linkage today which is being made. A linkage between China and India and what’s happening in Ukraine. China and India happened way before anything happened in Ukraine. The Chinese do not need a precedent somewhere else on how to engage us or not engage us or be difficult with us or not be difficult with us,” he had added.