bAt the G-7 foreign ministers’ meeting next week, possible air defense systems for Ukraine will also be discussed. The stocks of the so-called “Patriot” systems have now been exhausted, said Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock yesterday afternoon; She therefore hopes for international cooperation. In addition, the Rheinmetall company announced yesterday that it had received an order from the federal government to send 20 new armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.
Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) reaffirmed German support in the Middle East conflict at a meeting in Berlin on Monday with the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament. At the same time, Germany rejects Nicaragua’s accusation that it is participating in genocide with the support of Israel. Before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the authoritarian country accused the Federal Republic of aiding and abetting a genocide in the Gaza Strip.
These were the topics that Sandra Maischberger discussed on Tuesday evening. ZDF journalist Theo Koll, deputy “The Pioneer” editor-in-chief Alev Doğan and author Susanne Gaschke from “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” sat in the studio as commentators. Maischberger spoke to the former parliamentary group leader of the Left Gregor Gysi and the FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. The moderator also interviewed Claus Ruhe Madsen, Economics Minister of Schleswig-Holstein (CDU).
The duel between Strack-Zimmermann and Gysi got off to a loaded start. Gysi initially judged Strack-Zimmermann’s election poster, on which she describes herself as “Grandma Courage”, as being educational. “You are the chairwoman of the Defense Committee and then to call yourself Grandma Courage, I beg you.” In Brecht’s play “Mother Courage,” the protagonist sends her own children to war. Gysi: “Well, it’s not my poster”.
The poster replied that not everyone associates “Courage” with “Mother Courage”. It sounded a bit like: Brecht, please.
After this initial banter, a possible stop from Germany supplying arms to Israel became an issue. Strack-Zimmermann emphasized that Germany had largely not delivered lethal weapons, but rather spare parts and the like, and that most of it had been delivered before October 7th, the day Israel was attacked by Hamas. Germany has also purchased weapons systems from Israel itself, said the FDP politician.
Gysi, on the other hand, is calling for a stop to arms deliveries. Both Hamas and Israel are currently committing war crimes. Hamas, whose structures are largely destroyed because they hide behind the civilian population, and also Israel because it kills the civilian population. “You should never try to punish a war crime with another war crime,” which is why a ceasefire is needed. Both a sovereign Israel and a sovereign Palestine are needed for a solution. There is a risk that international terrorist groups will also take part in the conflict. “It could also be a catastrophe,” said the left-wing politician.
Strack-Zimmermann also confirms that Israel is geographically enclosed and is therefore in a threatening situation. That is why it is relevant for Israel to “really destroy” Hamas. Her explanations were somewhat lengthy. The atmosphere heated up Strack-Zimmermann when she asked to finish her point with “One more sentence”. Gysi nonchalantly: “But Ms. Strack-Zimmermann, you already talk two thirds of the time.”
Gregor Gysi’s origins from the GDR
Opposites were also trump in the Ukraine war. “Yes, I know, you are for all rockets,” Gysi called to Strack-Zimmermann. He was of the opinion that one should try to dissuade China and India from supporting Russia because of the war instead of imposing sanctions on them too, because “then he (Putin) would be really isolated, he can’t afford that,” replied Strack-Zimmermann said that China’s connection to North Korea, for example, should not be underestimated. “Unlike you, I believe that Ukraine only has one chance to survive: through strength,” the FDP politician fires at her interlocutor. Afterwards they both insulted each other.
Strack-Zimmermann: “You are a dream dancer!”
Gysi: “And you are a dream dancer!”
Gysi denied that Russia would also attack Lithuania and Latvia, “you can tell yourself that.” Putin doesn’t want to risk a third world war. Strack-Zimmermann recalled Gysi’s origins in the GDR and said he should be able to assess the danger. Even neutral states like Sweden would have joined NATO because of Russia.
Gysi: “Once the machine is turned on, it can’t stop talking, I know that.” Germany, a NATO country, will not be attacked.
Strack-Zimmermann: “We have been under hybrid attack for years, we are under attack in the communications space. This is a war.”
Gys: But not according to international law.
“The Pioneer” Vice President Dogan noted that it is the job of politicians to prepare for all possible scenarios, “including the worst-case scenario.”
Moderator Maischberger referred to a conversation that Ukrainian President Zelensky had with Paul Ronzheimer, also for WELT. In it, Zelensky says that Scholz does not want to give up the Taurus cruise missile because it is Germany’s most powerful weapon. When it comes to the question of whether Scholz will still give in, “everyone is sitting in a black box,” said ZDF journalist Theo Koll. The Taurus is actually of particular importance for Germany, said Gysi in response to Zelenskyj’s statement and shot a final arrow in the direction of the FDP. Seat neighbor: “You only think of a military solution, I think of a political one.”
In the final part of the program, Maischberger spoke with Schleswig-Holstein’s Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU). The native Dane has two passports and was previously mayor of Rostock. Madsen said he was always struck by how different the mentalities of the two neighboring countries were. For example, during the construction of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, which is supposed to connect the German island with Denmark from 2029: “On the Danish side, after the participation in the large tunnel, there were 40 objections and on the German side the exact same procedure: 12,400 objections.”
The Germans could also learn from the Danes when it comes to qualified immigration. “We are in global competition for bright minds and hard-working hands,” said the Economics Minister. This requires controlled immigration and clear policies that everyone understands.
A “Northvolt” gigafactory will soon be built in Heide in Schleswig-Holstein, where green car batteries will be produced. This means that Schleswig-Holstein will also be able to get involved in the international market. “Who doesn’t want to make the world a better place?”