War against Ukraine: Mützenich defends Scholz in the arms dispute

SPD faction leader Mutzenich has criticized demands for heavy weapons in Ukraine. Several traffic light politicians had previously spoken out in favor of deliveries – and increased the pressure on Chancellor Scholz.

The tone at the traffic lights in the dispute over arms deliveries to Ukraine is getting rougher. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich verbally attacked the three members of the Bundestag who had seen the situation in Ukraine the day before yesterday and who are demanding the delivery of heavy weapons to the country.

“Under this impression, however, it is wrong to demand unprecedented decisions without having to answer for them yourself – especially since these could have far-reaching consequences for the security of our country and NATO,” said the SPD politician in a statement.

The answer from the FDP MP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann on Twitter followed promptly. Unfortunately, Mützenich is one of those who have neither understood nor want to understand the need for her own chancellor to change, said the FDP politician, who was a guest in western Ukraine on Tuesday together with SPD MP Michael Roth and Green Party member Anton Hofreiter.

pressure on the chancellor

Previously, the coalition partners of the Greens and FDP had significantly increased the pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to move on the issue of arms deliveries. “The problem is in the Chancellery,” Anton Hofreiter was unusually clear. Scholz speaks of a turning point, according to the Green politician, but does not implement it sufficiently. “And you need a lot more leadership,” said Hofreiter on RTL.

Both the Greens and the FDP have clearly spoken out in favor of the delivery of heavy weapons, such as tanks, to Ukraine. The chairman of the foreign affairs committee, Michael Roth, from the SPD, is of the same opinion.

Scholz: Supply “correct and reasonable” weapons

But Scholz hesitates: Germany has made a decisive decision with the decision to deliver arms to Ukraine, the Chancellor defended himself in an interview with the rbb. At the same time, one must pay attention to what is useful to Ukraine. Germany wants to deliver “correct and reasonable” weapons.

So far, however, Scholz has not convinced his coalition partners with this attitude. “Of course, the chancellor is in demand. He has the authority to set guidelines,” said the FDP politician and chair of the defense committee, Strack-Zimmermann ARD Capital Studio said on Wednesday. And the Green politician Hofreiter had warned that with every day that the chancellor hesitated, the damage to foreign policy and European policy would increase.