Journalist's Question to Ukraine and Serbia Presidents Called 'Propaganda Gift to Kremlin'

A question posed by a German journalist at a press conference in Belgrade has been sharply criticized for inadvertently providing propaganda material to the Kremlin. The journalist, Michael Martens of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), asked Ukrainian and Serbian presidents, "What can we Europeans do to help you kill more Russians... more Russian soldiers, of course?"

Brussels-based portal EUalajv described the question as not just clumsy but "grotesque." The article argues that Martens' phrasing offered Russian propagandists "ready-made evidence" to support their narrative that the West seeks not only Ukraine's survival but Russia's destruction. The subsequent amplification of this statement by Russian state media and officials was predictable, reinforcing a narrative that the article contends is otherwise inaccurate.

Adding another layer to the controversy, Russian officials, led by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, reportedly exploited Martens' family history. They highlighted that his grandfather was a member of the Nazi Party, labeling him a "descendant of a Nazi" whose question "allegedly revealed an unbroken Nazi lineage and the true intentions of the West."

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What can we Europeans do to help you kill more Russians... more Russian soldiers, of course?

The context of the press conference in Serbia is also noted as significant. The article suggests that major press conferences in Serbia under President Vučić rarely allow for spontaneous questions, with inquiries often pre-arranged and topics coordinated. This environment, described as "controlled political theater" rather than free journalism, raises questions about how Martens was selected to ask the question, implying either intentional selection or a lapse in control by the Vučić government.

FAZ has since expressed regret, stating the question was poorly formulated and clarifying that the newspaper's editorial policy does not advocate for killing Russian soldiers. The paper reaffirmed its support for Ukraine's right to self-defense. However, the article concludes that the damage was already done, calling Martens' question a "serious gaffe, grotesque, professionally damaging, and geopolitically counterproductive."

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descendant of a Nazi