War against Ukraine: Scholz condemns “massacre” in Bucha

“War crimes”, “appalling images”, “deeply shaken”. Chancellor Scholz has once again condemned the Russian war against Ukraine and the atrocities in Bucha. He announced further arms deliveries.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has accused the Russian military of war crimes in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Russian soldiers “carried out a massacre of Ukrainian civilians there, including children, women and old people,” said the SPD politician in the Bundestag. “The murder of civilians is a war crime.”

Perpetrators “must be held accountable”

The “terrible pictures” from Butscha “shook us all deeply,” said Scholz. He sharply rejected claims by the Russian leadership that such recordings were fake: “The cynical assertion spread by Russia that this topic is a staging falls back on those who spread these lies.” The perpetrators and their clients “must be held accountable,” Scholz demanded.

“The killing of the Russian military” in Ukraine meanwhile continues unabated, said the Chancellor. It must be expected that there will be more pictures like from Butscha. Scholz again called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately end the “destructive and self-destructive” war in Ukraine.

The President of the Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, had previously condemned the events in Butscha. “Incomprehensible atrocities” were committed there, said the SPD politician at the beginning of the Bundestag session. Cities are under siege in many places in Ukraine, “evacuation and humanitarian aid are being blocked, and the supply of food, water and electricity is being systematically cut.” It is “obviously about terror against the whole people,” said Bas, adding: “The German Bundestag condemns these war crimes in the strongest possible terms.”

Arms deliveries in coordination with the EU and NATO

Scholz also announced further arms deliveries to Ukraine. In coordination with the EU and NATO partners, Ukraine will continue to be supplied with weapons and the pressure on Russia will be increased through sanctions. “Everything that makes sense and works quickly will be delivered,” he said. His government will “take everything that is right and sensible on the way”. These deliveries should contribute to the German government’s goal “that Russia does not win this war”. This goal stands “behind the activities that we undertake when it comes to arms deliveries,” said the Chancellor.

Scholz expressly defended Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht against the accusation that she was not reacting quickly enough to Ukraine’s armament needs. Lambrecht is doing “everything that is feasible in view of the decisions taken by our allies and the capabilities of the Bundeswehr,” said the Chancellor. He emphasized that his government had broken with previous governments’ practice of not supplying weapons to war zones. This is a “break with long traditions,” said Scholz. “It’s the right decision, which we weighed up but also made quickly.”

The German weapons have already made a “considerable contribution” to the fighting in Ukraine. As examples, Scholz cited the anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems and ammunition supplied by Germany. Further deliveries are already being negotiated with Ukraine, said Scholz. This applies not only to weapons from the Bundeswehr stocks, but also to systems that could be newly acquired on the armaments market.

Reduce dependency on Russian energy

Scholz also fundamentally supported the planned new sanctions against Russia, but did not comment on the details. The fifth sanctions package is in the final debate, “it will once again make a precise contribution to Russia feeling the consequences of this war, also to ending the war,” he said.

At the same time, the Chancellor emphasized the goal of reducing dependence on Russian energy imports. “We all know that these dependencies have grown over decades and cannot be ended from one day to the next.” That is why a common European course is important here. The course has been set, “and they will continue to set the course that we have to follow even after the war.” The EU Commission had proposed an embargo on coal from Russia. However, the EU Parliament cannot pass such sanctions; the EU states do that.

However, Scholz spoke out against using the nuclear power plants in Germany longer. It’s “not a good plan,” he said. The nuclear power plants are not prepared for continued operation, and Germany has also decided “for good reason” to phase out operations. If you want to let the nuclear power plants run longer, new fuel rods and other nuclear resources are needed, said Scholz. However, these are not readily available. Scholz spoke of a “milkmaid’s bill” and pointed out that not all fossil imports could be replaced by nuclear energy. For example, oil imports are also used to manufacture chemical products.

Security guarantees “not yet spelled out”

From Scholz’s point of view, the neutrality offered by Ukraine in the event of an end to the Russian war of aggression is a “major concession to the aggressor”. At the same time, with a view to the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, he made it clear: “It must not come down to a dictated peace.” When he talks to Russian President Putin, he always makes it clear: “It’s the Ukrainians who negotiate what they are willing to agree on. Nobody else.”

The question of security guarantees for Ukraine that has arisen has “not yet been spelled out,” said the SPD politician. “Of course we talk about it – but also with the necessary confidentiality – with Ukraine and do the same with the others who have been approached.” However, this cannot be further specified at the moment. First of all, the questions that are to be guaranteed would have to be settled.

Appeal to states

One day before the federal-state meeting, Scholz called on the states not to get caught up in a dispute over funding when taking in refugees from Ukraine. “I wish that we wouldn’t have a long, long discussion about financial issues between the different levels of our country, but that we would quickly come to an agreement between the federal government and the states,” he said. The real task is to help the refugees who have sought protection in Germany.

The great solidarity of the civilian population must be an incentive. “This help is important and it does you good,” said the Chancellor. At the federal-state summit, among other things, the costs for the aid provided for Ukrainian refugees and the distribution between the federal and state governments should be discussed.