war against Ukraine
Klingbeil promotes diplomatic initiatives ahead of EU summit
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil wants to see more diplomatic initiatives in the Ukraine war. photo
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Diplomacy and weapons – both are important for SPD leader Lars Klingbeil. Now the politician has spoken out in favor of more talks.
Before the EU summit in Brussels, SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil spoke out in favor of diplomatic initiatives to end the war in Ukraine.
“It annoys me how the term diplomacy is often almost despised in the political debate,” Klingbeil told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “For me, military strength and diplomacy are two sides of the same coin.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is expected as a guest at the EU summit in Brussels this Thursday.
Klingbeil: Germany is making a contribution to peace
Germany is also contributing to peace by supporting Ukraine with weapons and equipment, Klingbeil said. “Also so that she is strong for negotiations, because in the end this conflict will probably not be decided on the battlefield, but at the negotiating table.” Germany is out of the question as a mediator, but the heads of state of Brazil or Turkey may be.
Klingbeil warned of declining popular support for military support to Ukraine. “We have to get away from the fact that the debates about arms deliveries are overturning,” said the SPD chairman. “There is dwindling acceptance among the German population when we discuss main battle tanks directly after armored personnel carriers and then immediately about fighter jets.”