Marco Buschmann was unfortunately miscast for Sandra Maischberger that evening. This should not be an accusation against the Federal Minister. But since this program was about the war in Ukraine, one would have liked to hear from a competent source how the federal government views French President Emmanuel Macron’s idea of sending NATO ground troops if necessary to prevent a Russian victory. Buschmann, a former community service worker, has now taken part in a military exercise and can therefore call himself a reservist, as we found out in a conversation with the hostess. But he is justice minister and not defense minister.
But it was surprising that Sandra Maischberger didn’t even ask the FDP politician the question about Macron and the ground troops. As spectacular as the topic is, even a justice minister could say a few words about it while he’s sitting in the studio. Ultimately, Macron’s move, which Chancellor Scholz firmly rejects, is evidence of a profound disagreement between Germany and France on a historic issue of war and peace.
Has the federal government really had the last word on the Taurus deliveries?
After all, Maischberger asked Minister Buschmann about the Taurus cruise missiles, which Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to supply to Ukraine. Has the federal government really had the last word on this? Buschmann’s cryptic answer: No. The Minister of Justice wanted to recognize a “bridge” in the way Scholz recently rejected the delivery: that the weapon had to be programmed by German soldiers and that Germany could therefore be considered a participant in the war. If the Ukrainians managed to program the weapon themselves, delivery should be possible, said the Justice Minister.
Wladimir Klitschko, former professional boxer and brother of Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, sat with Maischberger as the second studio guest. He said he found the debates in Germany and across Europe “very disappointing.” Regardless of whether you as a viewer support further arms deliveries to Ukraine or not, you could understand him well.
Klitschko had just come from the front, from Avdiivka, where the Ukrainian army had just suffered a heavy defeat. And while his country is fighting for survival, Chancellor Scholz and President Macron are publicly arguing about who is willing to do more for Ukraine. They both fall short of their promises. Macron’s push to send ground troops distracts from the real problem, said Klitschko. “We need more weapons and more ammunition.”
Klitschko did his best to help Buschmann build the Taurus Bridge. In dealing with the Marder infantry fighting vehicle and the Leopard main battle tank, Ukraine has shown that it does not need Western help in dealing with modern military equipment. “We are a well-educated people, we can do it ourselves.” The fear that Ukraine could fire cruise missiles at Moscow and thereby trigger a world war is also misplaced: every weapon supplied from the West has so far been used strictly in consultation with its partners – and it remains that way.
It is high time for the delivery of artillery and cruise missiles, said Klitschko. Otherwise, in a year, people will be talking about the state of Ukraine in the past tense. At the end of the program, Minister Buschmann was able to answer a few questions about the status of the traffic light coalition.