The Chancellor is changing his tone ahead of the Brandenburg election. But he is right: arms deliveries to Ukraine and diplomacy naturally go hand in hand.
Olaf Scholz announced in the ZDF summer interview that he believes it is possible to achieve “peace more quickly” in Ukraine Photo: Thomas Kierok/ZDF/dpa
Olaf Scholz believes it is possible to “achieve peace more quickly” in Ukraine. That sounds unusual. The words diplomacy and peace have hardly appeared in Scholz’s vocabulary for a long time. CDU hawks like Roderich Kiesewetter already smell betrayal. The SPD wants to hand Ukraine over to the knife again. Betrayal? A turning point?
Treason – definitely not. The Chancellor’s rather vague announcement was apparently coordinated with Ukraine. President Selenskyj also wants Russia to be present at the next Ukraine conference. This is not a turning point.
Representatives of 59 governments took part in the last Ukraine conference in Switzerland, but China and Russia did not. The conference was useful in order to make Ukraine’s legitimate demands for the withdrawal of all Russian troops and compensation clearer to states in the Global South. But serious deals are not made in the format of the Ukraine conference – but with China, Russia, the USA and a few other players. The fact that Scholz and Selensky want to invite Russia to the next Ukraine conference is therefore not quite as important. And serious negotiations are only conceivable after the US elections in November. The question of whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will govern is central. US arms deliveries are irreplaceable for the defense of Ukraine.
Scholz’s new choice of words is a timid attempt to regain ruined credibility. Scholz had long warned against the use of German weapons on Russian territory. When Ukraine did exactly that, the German government waved it through in silence, just as it did the stationing of US medium-range missiles. Only pieces of Scholz’s image as a cool, forward-thinking strategist who acts more prudently than hotheads like Kiesewetter are now in tatters.
The other side of silence
Elections will be held in Brandenburg in two weeks. A defeat for the SPD after 34 years in government would be a disaster for Scholz too. Wagenknecht’s peace rhetoric – the West only has to want it and there will be peace – is intellectually insulting, but its simple suggestiveness also makes it attractive to parts of the SPD clientele. The BSW’s successes are the other side of the Chancellor’s silence.
So is Scholz’s new-found peace rhetoric an election tactic? It seems that way. In the best case scenario, there would be a re-emergence of the fact that arms deliveries to Ukraine and diplomacy belong together. And it is Scholz’s job to explain that. The space between Wagenknecht and Kiesewetter cannot be left discursively empty.
What are the implications of Olaf Scholz’s shift in tone towards diplomacy in the context of the Ukraine conflict?
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Olaf Scholz’s Shift in Tone: A Call for Diplomacy in Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has taken a surprising turn in his recent statements, calling for increased diplomatic efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine. This sudden shift in tone has sparked debate and raised eyebrows among critics, who see it as a potential sign of weakness or even betrayal. However, as Scholz himself has emphasized, arms deliveries and diplomacy are not mutually exclusive, and in fact, go hand in hand. [[1]]
Scholz’s announcement, made in a recent ZDF summer interview, has been met with skepticism by some, particularly CDU hawks like Roderich Kiesewetter, who accuse the SPD of wanting to hand Ukraine over to Russia once again. [[2]]However, it appears that the Chancellor’s statement was coordinated with Ukraine, as President Volodymyr Selenskyj has also expressed his desire for Russia to be present at the next Ukraine conference. [[3]]
The last Ukraine conference in Switzerland saw representatives from 59 governments attend, but China and Russia were notable absences. While the conference served to clarify Ukraine’s legitimate demands for the withdrawal of Russian troops and compensation to states in the Global South, it is unlikely that serious deals will be made in this format. Instead, negotiations will require the involvement of countries like China, Russia, the USA, and a few others. [[2]]
Moreover, the outcome of the US elections in November will have a significant impact on the future of Ukraine, as the question of whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will govern will influence US arms deliveries, which are crucial to Ukraine’s defense. [[1]]
Scholz’s change in tone has also been seen as an attempt to regain his ruined credibility. The Chancellor had previously warned against the use of German weapons on Russian territory, only to remain silent when Ukraine took such action. Similarly, the German government turned a blind eye to the stationing of US medium-range missiles. [[2]]
Elections in Brandenburg are just around the corner, and a defeat for the SPD after 34 years in government would be a disaster for Scholz. This may be a driving factor behind his sudden shift in tone, as he seeks to reclaim his image as a cool and forward-thinking strategist. [[2]]
while Scholz’s call for increased diplomacy in Ukraine has sparked controversy, it is essential to recognize that arms deliveries and diplomacy are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are complementary approaches that can work together to bring about peace in Ukraine. As the global community continues to navigate this complex crisis, it is crucial that leaders like Scholz prioritize dialogue and cooperation in their efforts to achieve lasting peace.
What prompted Olaf Scholz to call for increased diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine conflict?
Olaf Scholz’s Shift in Tone: A Call for Diplomacy in Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has taken a surprising turn in his recent statements, calling for increased diplomatic efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine. This sudden shift in tone has sparked debate and raised eyebrows among critics, who see it as a potential sign of weakness or even betrayal. However, as Scholz himself has emphasized, arms deliveries and diplomacy are not mutually exclusive, and in fact, go hand in hand. [[1]]
Scholz’s announcement, made in a recent ZDF summer interview, has been met with skepticism by some, particularly CDU hawks like Roderich Kiesewetter, who accuse the SPD of wanting to hand Ukraine over to Russia once again. [[2]]However, it appears that the Chancellor’s statement was coordinated with Ukraine, as President Volodymyr Selenskyj has also expressed his desire for Russia to be present at the next Ukraine conference. [[3]]
The last Ukraine conference in Switzerland saw representatives from 59 governments attend, but China and Russia were notable absences. While the conference served to clarify Ukraine’s legitimate demands for the withdrawal of Russian troops and compensation to states in the Global South, it is unlikely that serious deals will be made in this format. Instead, negotiations will require the involvement of countries