In the debate about the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Social Democrats are increasingly finding themselves in trouble.
On the one hand, numerous calls for faster and more decisive military support for the Ukrainian army by the federal government were once again voiced in Kyiv and Berlin over Easter. On the other hand, the opposition Union in particular has intensified its criticism of the Social Democrats and their Russia-friendly policies in recent years.
From left: Social Democrats Sigmar Gabriel, Olaf Scholz and Gerhard Schröder
The CDU member of the Bundestag and defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter called on the SPD to set up an “internal investigation commission” to examine whether “personal connections with Russia have arisen in the past that are now preventing the federal government from making free decisions in the Ukraine war can”.
“Above all, the ties between Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his predecessor Gerhard Schröder and von Former Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel be examined,” said Kiesewetter WELT. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil, a former long-time employee in Schröder’s constituency office, must also “show his colors”.
In particular, it must be about the connections between SPD politicians and Russia in the construction of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. It is good that a committee of inquiry is being set up in the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. “But the party must also work through the allegations nationwide.”
For its part, the Union will examine “the extent to which the Chancellery has lost sight of the threat situation at Nord Stream 2, especially since 2014,” said Kiesewetter.
“Then Schwesig cannot remain in office”
Previously, CDU foreign politician Norbert Röttgen had already told Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) suggested resignation. “If the circumstances recently described in the media are true, then Ms. Schwesig cannot remain in office; that’s completely out of the question,” Röttgen told the editorial network Germany. Schwesig is accused of pushing ahead with the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline by establishing a sham environmental foundation and thus allowing himself to be exploited for the interests of Russia.
Prime Minister Schwesig asked to resign
At the beginning of the year, an environmental foundation to support Nord Stream 2 was set up in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Documents should show that Gazprom, as the majority owner, was directly involved in the foundation. Country chief Schwesig rejects the allegations, now there are first demands for resignation.
Source: WORLD / Jonas Feldt
The Greens, the federal coalition partner of the SPD, are also making serious allegations against the prime minister in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. This disregards the rights of the state parliament and tries to protect itself by withholding information. According to Hannes Damm, Member of Parliament for the Green Party, Schwesig’s behavior is “endangering democracy”.
The Social Democrats and Scholz also received pressure from their own traffic light coalition over the long weekend. Marie-Agnes Strack Zimmermann (FDP), Chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, and Anton Hofreiter (Greens), Head of the Europe Committee, renewed their call for more speed in arms deliveries to Ukraine.
According to Strack-Zimmermann, it is positive that Scholz has announced that he intends to make around one billion euros available to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons. “But primarily it must be clarified immediately which heavy weapons the Chancellor is thinking of, to what extent this has been coordinated with the Ukrainian government and when the weapons will be delivered. Time is running out in Ukraine,” said the FDP politician WELT.
Hofreiter made a similar statement. “The increase in military aid is good and right,” he told the “Rheinische Post”. “But it cannot replace the rapid delivery of heavy weapons.”
“Every hour counts”
From the point of view of the deputy leader of the Union parliamentary group, Johann Wadephul (CDU), the increase in military aid is “just a bad diversionary maneuver”. Ukraine is not lacking in money. “The core question is: does Germany allow the export of heavy weapons? Olaf Scholz now has to show his colors and ‘deliver’ in the truest sense of the word. It’s about every hour,” Wadephul said.
In view of the imminent Russian offensive, the chancellor was “partly responsible for Ukraine’s defenselessness”. In addition, it is still “unclear whether the Bundeswehr can not supply even more weapons from its own stocks”.
Over Easter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again pushed for a quick delivery of heavy weapons. “Those who have the weapons and ammunition we need and who are holding back their aid must know that the fate of this battle depends on them too. The fate of people who can be saved,” said Zelenskyy.
“If the port city falls, that will also be the end of the peace talks with Russia”
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the fall of the fiercely contested port city of Mariupol would spell the end of talks with Russia. In addition to the defending Ukrainian troops, tens of thousands of civilians are trapped in the besieged port city.
Source: WORLD / Stefan Wittmann
SPD representatives, on the other hand, defended Chancellor Scholz’s cautious course. Ex-Economics and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) emphasized in “Mirror”that it was right that the federal government could only deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine in coordination with the United States.
SPD leader Saskia Esken pointed in the news service Twitter at least that her party could give in to pressure from the other parliamentary groups. “We have repeatedly adapted our arms deliveries to changing situations. And we will continue to do so.”
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