Berlin³
German MPs in Ukraine: There’s no more hesitation, Mr. Scholz
A military checkpoint in Lviv. Travel at your own risk, viewed rather suspiciously by the Berlin government.
© Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA Images/ZUMA Press Wire / DPA
The President was not welcome. To this end, three members of the Bundestag from the SPD, FDP and Greens met in Lviv. And after their return, they are pushing hard to finally deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine.
Travelling forms. The spirit, the character and, just like that, attitudes and opinions. And talking helps. Only completely narrow-minded people come back from meetings and conversations unimpressed and completely unchanged. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Selinksky should have thought better of this before declaring Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier a person currently undesirable in Kyiv. What he could have achieved at a meeting and how unwise the invitation was, he can currently do from afar using the example of three travelers who were welcome in his country – and are now campaigning massively and loudly in Germany for the desire of the Ukrainians to get heavy weapons from the west as quickly as possible.
The three from the traffic light in Lviv
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, FDP Chair of the Defense Committee, Michael Roth, SPD Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Toni Hofreiter, Green Chair of the Europe Committee, set out together to meet four Ukrainian parliamentarians in Lviv to visit a hospital with wounded soldiers and drive to the refinery hit by Russian missiles. Anything but a pleasure trip. First to Warsaw, then by car to the Ukrainian border, finally in a secured car eight hours to Lviv.
If you understand the three politicians from the traffic light parties correctly, it was a trip at your own risk, viewed rather suspiciously by the Berlin government. Probably with reason, albeit not a good one. After all, the three committee chairmen are among the MPs for whom their government, especially their chancellor, is far too reluctant to support Ukraine – be it with weapons or with sanctions. After their return, they tightened their demands even more.
There may be nuances in the assessments of the three, the Social Democrat Roth has to show a little more consideration for the comrade in the Chancellery than the other two, but in principle they are in complete agreement across all parties. For its resistance against Putin’s army, Ukraine needs heavy weapons, especially tanks, including German martens. And not at some point, but as soon as possible. Because a new Russian offensive in the East is imminent, the war will probably last a very long time and the Ukrainians are in danger of running out of their own material in a few weeks.
Hesitation is no longer possible
In order to be able to use the martens sensibly, weeks of training are required. The Ukrainians are perfectly aware of this. That’s why they’re pushing for a quick decision. This decision must be made by the Chancellor. And now. Also in order to avert further damage from Germany, to make up for the long-suffered loss of reputation not only in the Ukraine because of the patient attitude so far. Hesitation is no longer possible. Changing times means not just talking, but also acting. Says Strack-Zimmermann. Support Roth and Hofreiter.
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You shouldn’t think of all this as a reaction to being pressurized by her Ukrainian colleagues, on the contrary. The three say in unison that they were received “openly and cordially”, were “very, very welcome” and there is a “great degree of gratitude and recognition” for the aid provided by Germany so far. But also a huge desperation and “very, very high expectations”.
Surprisingly, this does not mean that Germany should immediately stop using Russian gas. President Selenskyj has repeatedly demanded this, but the four members of parliament know how necessary Russian gas is for the German economy, the three MPs report. It is therefore more important to them to send a clear signal that Germany supports an embargo on coal and oil – and soon. This also goes to one person in particular: the chancellor.
It would be worth it if Scholz went to Kyiv
After their return, the three travelers to Ukraine reported a “grown mutual understanding”. For that alone, the trip was worth it. That’s why it would have been worth it if the Federal President had been allowed to come to Kyiv as planned. Mutually. That’s why it would also be worthwhile if Olaf Scholz went to Kyiv.
Incidentally, on their way back, at a stop near the Polish border, another car stopped next to Strack-Zimmermann, Roth and Hofreiter. A young man got out, a German, from Dresden. He told MPs that he quit his job to help refugees come out of Ukraine. In his car was a couple with their 13-year-old daughter. At the end of the short conversation, the man said: “Oh, it’s nice to see German politicians going to Ukraine.”
The Chancellor, one hears, is still thinking. He shouldn’t take too much time with that either.