The open letter on the Ukraine war published in Germany last Friday continues to spark discussion. In essence, 28 intellectuals called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to work for an early ceasefire in Ukraine, and they condemned German arms deliveries to Ukraine. There were also warnings of a possible nuclear war with Russia.
The celebrity co-signer and Emma-Publisher Alice Schwarzer is currently in Vienna for a film premiere and on Thursday evening she faced a debate with Austria’s former Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik in ORF’s “ZiB 2”.
There are currently two opposite opinions, Schwarzer opened. According to a recent survey, 45 percent of the Germans questioned would be on their side: That Germany should send “only defensive weapons” to Ukraine. Schwarzer spoke of a “difference between public and published opinion”. We wanted to close this gap with this letter.
It’s regarding a compromise solution. “It is in Ukraine’s interest to negotiate and not to be so aggressive in defense,” said Schwarzer. And: “International law requires us to help Ukraine, but it forbids us to supply offensive weapons.”
Too simple
Plassnik thinks this solution is too simple. “You were wrong,” she accused Schwarzer, “you should have written your letter to the Russian President, because he is waging a war of aggression.”
It’s regarding “helping people to help themselves” and “self-defence, that’s in every penal code.”
To say to Putin: “You, you, stop!” is not enough, said Plassnik. Macron, Scholz, Schröder, Guterres and Nehammer traveled to Moscow to influence Putin, but that did little, the diplomat said. The point is, “How do we deal with a violent criminal?”
“War can only be ended through negotiations”
Schwarzer’s response: “I’m not so naive as to think there is a stop button.” And: “Putin is not our addressee,” he would obviously not listen to 28 intellectuals from Germany.
The addressee is Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose task is also to protect the Federal Republic. It’s regarding finding a solution “in which Putin doesn’t completely lose face.” After more than two months of war, this moment has come, according to Schwarzer.
“Ukraine has defended Kyiv and can be proud of it,” and Putin has achieved certain goals in eastern Ukraine. Schwarzer’s credo: “The war can only be ended through negotiations.”
Plassnik then drew a comparison with violence once morest women. “When a violent offender becomes aggressive, negotiation and cajoling won’t do anything,” she argued.
“Putin didn’t need any pretext, no motive that we gave him to attack Ukraine,” said Plassnik. It takes two to negotiate, and she doesn’t currently see any interest in negotiations with Putin.
charge of postcolonialism
Plassnik then accused Schwarzer of arguing in a post-colonial manner, although the feminist had always objected to such narratives. She is once morest “prescribing to the Ukrainians when self-defence and self-defense is enough.”
“No, that’s not fair, Ms. Plassnik, that you are interpreting it that way,” said Schwarzer. That is not in their interest.
But she sees “that Scholz is being pushed from all sides to play the strong man. But now is not the hour of the heroes, but the hour of the thoughtful, level-headed.”
“Maximum defense assistance” can be delivered. You are also in good company with your argument. After all, the Pope is also traveling to Putin to mediate.
“We plead for caution and once morest escalation”
“We warn once morest getting drawn into a world conflict,” said Schwarzer. She fears that the red line will be seen first “when we have crossed it, but then it is too late.”
“ZiB2” moderator Margit Laufer then accused the letter writers of judging the situation from a secure vantage point.
Schwarzer turns this argument around: “We sit on the audience balcony, nothing happens to us. But we say: ‘But go ahead, but go ahead, but go ahead…!’
The Ukrainian population would make the sacrifices, said Schwarzer. Young, undereducated men who have to take up arms. And: In the West, the only voice that is known from Ukraine is that it calls for more weapons.
“We plead for caution and once morest escalation,” said Schwarzer in conclusion.
Against outrage spiral
“I agree with you on one point,” said Plassnik. “The outrage spiral is bad,” she is also for prudence and precise consideration. She referred to the “remarkable interview” with the German Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) in the time.
But she demands respect for those who are attacked to make their own decisions.
In the current dynamic situation, which is difficult to assess, one can only do “what the German government is doing”, following all it is a “democratically supported decision”, said Plassnik.
