Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Kay-Achim Schönbach: Head of German Navy - Forced to Resign over Ukraine War
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Mar 7, 2026 Kay-Achim Schönbach, retired vice admiral and former head of the German Navy, reflects on his 2022 resignation after outspoken views on Crimea and Russia. He recounts the media fallout and political pressure that followed. The conversation covers NATO expansion, why Crimea is militarily irreversible, Black Sea strategy, and pathways for negotiated peace and rebuilding ties with Moscow.
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Leaked India Remarks Triggered Forced Resignation
- Kay-Achim Schönbach described the January 2022 India visit where a short Q&A clip was leaked and portrayed him as pro-Russia.
- He said his three-and-a-half-hour talk was coordinated with Berlin, the clip lacked context, and media pressure forced his resignation.
Respect Means Acknowledge Russian Security Interests
- Schönbach argued 'respect' for Russia means acknowledging its desire to defend security interests on its western border, not endorsing its actions.
- He clarified his phrase 'Putin deserves respect' referred to treating the Russian presidency as a state actor whose security concerns matter.
Moralism Replaced Strategic Realism In Foreign Policy
- Schönbach linked current moralistic foreign language to a loss of strategic realism in Germany and Western Europe.
- He said policy now prioritizes moral posturing over strategy and calls for stability rather than global domination.