Overview

• Michael Kretschmer cautions against the stigmatization of citizens critical of Ukraine aid, likening it to societal fractures seen during the pandemic.
• He highlights the need for open communication and tolerance for differing opinions in political discourse.
• Kretschmer recalls a 2021 phone call with Vladimir Putin, where the Russian president expressed frustration over low vaccine uptake in Russia.
• He pursued the possibility of introducing Russia’s Sputnik vaccine in Germany but noted it likely would not meet domestic approval standards.
• Kretschmer emphasizes the importance of personal engagement in politics, even when facing hostility, as key to his leadership in Saxony.