Status: 04/30/2022 4:41 p.m
Taking responsibility instead of ducking away: At the party conference, Foreign Minister Baerbock called on the Greens to support the federal government’s Ukraine course. Green leader Nouripour declared that one would remain a peace party.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on the Greens at the state council in Düsseldorf to support the path taken by the federal government to support Ukraine and equip the Bundeswehr. “In these moments, when the unimaginable has become bitter reality, we bear responsibility and have to make decisions that we could not have imagined before,” she said in a video contribution for the small party conference.
Foreign Minister Baerbock campaigns for support of the traffic light coalition at the small party conference
Rupert Wiederwald, WDR, daily news at 5:00 p.m., April 30, 2022
It’s “about our peace project Europe,” said Baerbock. She is grateful that the Greens are willing to take responsibility and don’t duck away. It is a strength and not a weakness to think about things in new and different ways. “Therefore, we say clearly and unequivocally, not only that we stand by the side of the Ukrainians, but that we think it’s right that we are now also jointly supplying heavy weapons for the Ukrainians’ self-defense.” “We’re quarreling as to whether we’re doing enough. Because even with these arms deliveries, we don’t know when this war will be over,” said Baerbock.
No to the no-fly zone
Baerbock again spoke out against the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. “We have to keep a cool head,” no matter how heartbreaking it is to look at the pictures. “We bear responsibility for ensuring that this war does not become a war across Europe for millions more people.” There are fears that enforcing a no-fly zone would require NATO to shoot down Russian planes and be drawn into the war.
Nouripour: Greens remain peace party
Green Party leader Omid Nouripour defended Ukraine’s military support against the Russian attack and at the same time declared his commitment to peace. “We will always remain a peace party,” Nouripour promised at the party conference. Baerbock in particular did everything to prevent a war, but the Kremlin had no interest in it.
Nouripour went on to say that as the ruling party, the Greens are facing reality. That does not mean saying goodbye to efforts to find peaceful solutions to conflicts. The deployment of the military should only be “a very, very last resort”. The situation in Ukraine is now forcing the Greens to do things they wouldn’t have done a few weeks ago, including supplying heavy weapons. “It is our job as Greens not to give up the historically grown legitimate culture of military restraint. That is and will remain true,” said Nouripour.
The NATO goal of spending two percent of gross domestic product on armaments every year is wrong. The Greens did not agree to the anchoring in the Basic Law, said Nouripour, who brought in a motion from the Federal Executive Committee on Ukraine policy. However, the Bundeswehr had to change massively, for example in procurement. But it is also important to use it against cyber attacks or against disinformation campaigns.
Nouripour warned of a global catastrophe if Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “perfidious plan” to blockade Ukrainian ports succeeds. Then important grain exports from Ukraine would be prevented and hunger would increase in the world. “It cannot be beaten for unscrupulousness.” It is not only about helping the people in Ukraine, but also about preventing this.
Hasselmann: Stop fighting immediately
Group leader Britta Haßelmann emphasized: “It’s not about compromises.” The point is that the Russian government must stop all hostilities, and do so immediately.” Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth called Russia a “flawless dictatorship”. “The culture and the cultural identity of Ukraine are to be destroyed.” Ukraine must be able to defend itself, also with heavy weapons.Nevertheless, Roth warned against a one-sided debate and an armament spiral.
Skepticism when it comes to special assets
While there was a lot of support for Ukraine, several speakers expressed skepticism about the special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr. Of course, the Bundeswehr must be well equipped, but it is about the right order, said Sebastian Hansen from the Würzburg-Land district association. It must first be ensured that the funds do not seep away.
He therefore supports an application by the Green Youth, which calls for “a reform of the procurement system and a needs-based determination of necessary military expenditure”.