FAZ Journalist Faces Backlash Over 'Kill More Russians' Question
A German journalist from FAZ sparked international controversy after asking Ukrainian President Zelensky during a press conference in Belgrade how Europe could help Ukraine 'kill more Russians,' prompting widespread condemnation from Serbian, Russian, and German sources, with calls for his dismissal and debates over journalistic ethics.
Consensus
- The journalist Michael Martens from FAZ asked Ukrainian President Zelensky at a press conference in Belgrade about how Europe could help Ukraine 'kill more Russians'.
- The question was asked during a press conference involving Ukrainian and Serbian presidents.
- The journalist later clarified that he meant 'Russian soldiers' and stated he was referring to creating difficulties for the Russian military to force negotiations.
- The German newspaper FAZ publicly distanced itself from the journalist's statement, calling the wording 'ambiguous' and expressing regret.
- Multiple sources, including Serbian officials, Russian institutions, and the Russian Journalists' Union, condemned the journalist's remarks as offensive and anti-Russian.
- A petition calling for the journalist's dismissal was launched on Change.org and gathered thousands of signatures.
- The petition was temporarily blocked by Change.org, citing community rule review.
- The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Russian media labeled the journalist a 'brown propagandist' and accused him of dehumanizing Russians.
- The journalist faced threats and defended his question as a legitimate journalistic inquiry.
- The Serbian government did not take formal action against the journalist, and President Vucic did not publicly react to the statement.
Points of divergence
- Serbian government should have expelled the journalist from the country for his remarks about Russians. — tg_tass_agency
- The Serbian Minister of Information, Perko Matovic, stated that Martens' statement was a call to murder Russians and that it was an abuse of Serbia's hospitality. — vm
- The Serbian Minister of Information stated that Martens aimed to undermine relations between Moscow and Belgrade. — vesti
- The journalist asked about helping Ukraine 'kill more Russians' during a press conference in Serbia, and the petition was created after this event. — vedomosti
- The journalist clarified that he meant 'Russian soldiers,' and FAZ described the question as 'ambiguous' and regrettable. — tg_dwglavnoe
- The Russian Journalists' Union demanded the journalist's dismissal and professional punishment, calling it a violation of journalistic and moral norms. — m24
- The journalist's grandfather was a high-ranking Nazi officer in the Wehrmacht headquarters. — m24
Coverage (12 sources)
- Serbian government should have expelled FAZ journalist for his words about Russians, TASS says Aleksandar Vulin. — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Serbian Ministry of Information condemned FAZ journalist Martens' remarks on Russians. State Secretary in the ministry Matovic called... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Serbia's Ministry of Information Condemns Journalist Martens' Remarks from FAZ on the Killing of Russians — Вечерняя Москва
- In Serbia, words of German journalist about killing Russians were condemned — Вести
- In Europe, the Nazi essence was demonstrated again — Вести
- Change.org hid a petition against journalist FAZ, who asked about the killing of Russians — Ведомости
- In FAZ newspaper expressed regret over anti-Russian question of their journalist — Вести
- Union of Russian Journalists demanded dismissal and professional punishment for FAZ correspondent Martens for anti-Russian... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- German newspaper FAZ regrets question of its journalist about 'killing of Russian soldiers' and considers the formulation 'ambiguous…' — DW Главное
- In Germany a petition was created calling for the dismissal of FAZ journalist for words about Russians — Вести
- Petition demanding dismissal of FAZ journalist for Russian-related remarks created in Germany. Text of appeal published on chang... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- SJR demanded dismissal of FAZ journalist for words about 'death of Russians' — Москва 24
Key entities
- FAZ
- Michael Martens
- Serbia
- Belgrade
- Moscow
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Ukraine
- Germany
- SJR
- Aleksandara Vučić
- TASS
- Ministry of Information
- Russia
More on Michael Martens
- Fico Links Journalist's Question to Russophobia
- Moscow Arrests FAZ Journalist Over 'Kill More Russians' Question
- Russia Issues International Warrant for German Journalist
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