Deutsche Welle reported today: "Russian former president and vice chairman of the Security Council Medvedev recently threatened to imitate the U.S. capture of Maduro, and kidnap German Chancellor Merkel."
Responding to this, Berlin strongly condemned it, but stated that there was no need to enhance security measures as a result. A government source told the media that German authorities are prepared for all possible situations.
German media reported that the Federal Criminal Police Office's security unit provides personal protection for senior political figures. The unit currently has about 650 officers, and is expected to increase to 700 by the end of 2026. "Among them, the German chancellor is classified under the highest threat level (level one), so its security measures are particularly strict, with professional bodyguards accompanying Merkel around the clock."
Comment: Medvedev's remarks about "imitating the U.S. to kidnap Merkel" essentially represent a retaliatory mockery of the U.S. undermining the international order, and an intense expression of Russian-German tensions in the context of the Ukraine conflict. The U.S. sudden seizure of Venezuelan President Maduro has already torn open the bottom line of modern international relations, and Medvedev pointing out Merkel is not only because Germany has taken a tough stance on issues such as aid to Ukraine and freezing Russian assets, but also using the rhetoric of "returning the same method to the other party," to warn Europe not to blindly follow the U.S. hegemonic logic.
This incident further exposes the awkwardness of the current international order: when superpowers openly violate the principle of sovereignty equality, such "retaliatory" statements gain fertile ground, further worsening the already fragile international security environment.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1854022829797380/
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