The parliament only fulfills its purpose as a place for political debates to a limited extent, the pragmatism of the black-red coalition creates a mildew atmosphere and ensures disenchantment with politics. Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz does not have to be accused of such criticism as under the Merkel era. Both the Social Democrat and opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) presented themselves aggressively on Wednesday in the Bundestag. The conservative criticized that the chancellor was merely declaring that Russia must not win the war and that Ukraine must survive. “Why don’t you just say, very clearly, Ukraine must win this war?”
Scholz is repeatedly confronted with the accusation that he only half-heartedly supports Ukraine. Three days after the attack on Ukraine, he announced the “turn of the era” and cleared the way for arms deliveries. However, speeches with clear messages were mixed with appearances in which Scholz talked a lot but said little.
Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) made a name for himself during the crisis, sometimes relentlessly letting citizens share in moral dilemmas – for example, when alternatives to Russian raw materials mean having to do business with Arab dictatorships. In the current survey by the Forsa institute, the Greens are well ahead of the SPD with 24 percent. The Social Democrats only get 20 percent, the CDU/CSU are clearly in the lead with 29 percent.
The Chancellor found Merz’s criticism to be “just talked about stuff that you’re saying”. “Putin must not and will not win this war,” emphasized Scholz. He called it arrogant and completely out of place when Germany was discussing war aims and the question of what Ukraine should do. Only Ukraine itself decides on this, “and no one else, Mr. Merz”. However, the German debate is more about what the Federal Republic can contribute to Ukraine.
Ukraine waits months for anti-aircraft system
Here, too, Scholz’ Social Democrats in particular are constantly in need of explanations. Be it the delivery of heavy weapons by German armaments companies or the so-called ring exchange. In particular, former Warsaw Pact states are supplying weapons from stocks with which the Ukrainian army is familiar. Germany equips the surrendering allies with weapons. Such an exchange has already been completed with the Czech Republic, and according to Scholz, another is pending with Greece. Last week, however, Poland’s president attested to Germany’s breach of word, and the government in Berlin was “amazed”.
In the Bundestag, Scholz therefore emphasized what the Federal Republic had already delivered, including more than 15 million rounds of ammunition. However, the promised heavy weapons, 50 anti-aircraft tanks and seven self-propelled howitzers – artillery pieces with a range of 40 kilometers – have still not arrived in Ukraine. Scholz announced on Wednesday that Ukraine would receive the most modern air defense system that Germany has. However, the delivery took months, admitted Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
The Baltic countries are implementing their aid for Ukraine much more quickly, while Estonia contributes the highest amount of bilateral government aid in terms of economic output. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, on the other hand, doesn’t think much of talks with Vladimir Putin; Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron recently phoned the Russian ruler. “We had a very heated debate about calling Putin,” Kallas gave an insight into the talks at the EU summit earlier in the week. She spoke ironically of the “so-called advantages” of the phone calls since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Estonia, Germany and many other NATO countries agree to significantly increase arms spending in view of the Russian aggression. On Friday, the members of the Bundestag will decide on the so-called special fund for the Bundeswehr in the amount of 100 billion euros. Almost 41 billion euros of this should benefit the Air Force, for example for new fighter jets. The second largest item is the navy with 19.3 billion euros. At least here the government and the CDU/CSU agree. (and)