Ukraine policy in focus
Scandal in the defense committee: Scholz dodges questions – FDP members leave the room
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) as a guest in the Defense Committee
© Michael Kappeler / DPA
Apparently there was a scandal about Olaf Scholz in the defense committee. Several FDP members left the room because the Chancellor apparently answered questions about Ukraine policy too evasively.
When Chancellor Olaf Scholz was questioned in the Defense Committee, there was apparently a scandal. Several FDP committee members left the room after the Chancellor, in their view, answered questions too evasively. Among other things, “ntv” had reported on this. The deputy committee chairman Henning Otte from the Union faction confirmed the incident on Twitter: “Curious instead of constructive, the @Bundeskanzler does not make any specific statement about an expected visit to Kyiv,” wrote the CDU politician. “The @fdpbt then leaves the special session of the Defense Committee. Coalition peace looks different.”
The Union’s defense policy spokesman, Florian Hahn, spoke of an “incredible event”. “Obviously they were more than dissatisfied with the performance of the #Chancellor”, Hahn tweeted. Several journalists also report on Twitter about the scandal. The FDP politicians left the room when Scholz replied evasively to the question from FDP MP Marcus Faber about arms deliveries to Ukraine, wrote Georg Ismar from the “Tagesspiegel”.
The chair of the defense committee, the FDP MP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, did not agree with Faber’s move, she stayed in the meeting.
Sharp criticism from the FDP to Olaf Scholz
Faber himself said on Twitter that Scholz had a chance to explain himself to the Ukraine committee. “Unfortunately, many answers were not given. I hope that we can catch up on this,” said the FDP politician. “His turnaround is absolutely right. It needs to be implemented promptly.” However, the tweet was deleted shortly thereafter. in one new tweet emphasized Faber, “[es] no one feels ‘cheated’ and no one has given a protest note”.
According to “ntv”, another committee member from the government factions was “angry” about the appearance of the FDP MPs and spoke of a “very embarrassing action”. For legal reasons, Scholz was not allowed to chat about possible planned arms deliveries, but I still tried to answer all questions.
The chancellor announced at the meeting that he would soon have another phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, attendees told AFP. Scholz emphasized that “the goal must be to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity” and not a “standstill peace in which occupied territories are held by Russia”. The Chancellor also offered to be available to the committee on a regular basis to answer questions.
Sources: “nv“, Twitter, with AFP footage