Scholz is doing it with the Taurus like Schröder once did with the Iraq War, many say. Now the former chancellor, who was excluded from the SPD leadership, is joining the debate – and not only praising Scholz.
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder supported Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s no to the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine and the fundamental rejection of sending ground troops. “I think Olaf Scholz is doing what I would expect from a German chancellor at the moment,” said former SPD leader Schröder to the dpa. At the same time, he called for a German-French initiative for negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
When asked whether he would like a “peace chancellor” Scholz, the 79-year-old said: “Yes, I would like that.” He added: “If someone, as German Chancellor, advocates for peace, if someone is described as a ‘peace chancellor,’ is that negative?”
Freezing the war: Mützenich is taken into protection
Schröder defended the SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, who was also sharply criticized from within the ranks of the traffic light coalition for his statement about freezing the war. “It seems to me that the SPD parliamentary group leader, Mr. Rolf Mützenich, is on the right path. His position should be supported by the party and parliamentary group,” demanded the former Chancellor.
Mützenich asked last Thursday in the Bundestag debate about a Taurus delivery: “Isn’t it time that we not only talk about how to fight a war, but also think about how to freeze a war and later on too can finish?”
Schröder has been friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin since he was chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and continues to work for the majority Russian companies on the Nord Stream pipelines through the Baltic Sea. Although he has called the Russian attack on Ukraine a mistake, he still maintains his friendship with Putin. He is therefore excluded from the SPD leadership, but a party expulsion procedure against him failed.
Three weeks ago, Scholz justified his rejection of a delivery of Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometers by saying that Germany could be drawn into the war. Shortly afterwards, he clearly opposed French President Emmanuel Macron’s call to leave sending ground troops to Ukraine as an option on the table.
Does the Taurus no help Putin? “Simply ridiculous”
Schröder shares both of the Chancellor’s positions. “These are two decisions that he made. I support them. And I hope I don’t harm him with them,” he told dpa. He defended the Chancellor against criticism that he was playing into Putin’s hands by saying no to Taurus. “That’s simply ridiculous,” said Schröder. “I can’t take these attacks that play a role seriously. Neither from Ms. Strack-Zimmermann nor from others.”
The chairwoman of the Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, is considered the harshest critic of the Taurus no in the traffic light coalition and even voted for two Union motions calling for the delivery of the cruise missiles. Schröder doesn’t have any tips on how Scholz should deal with the critics in the traffic light. “This is not a matter that I have to solve, but that the Chancellor has to solve. I think their positions are wrong. I think Olaf Scholz’s are right.”
Comparison with No to the Iraq War “unhistorical”
Scholz’s rejection of the Taurus delivery has recently been repeatedly compared to Schröder’s rejection of German participation in the US invasion of Iraq in 2002. After the devastating attacks by Islamist terrorists in the USA on September 11, 2001, the former Chancellor initially assured the USA of “unrestricted solidarity” and sent the Bundeswehr to the Afghanistan mission. But he no longer took part in the Iraq War.
Schröder considers the comparison to Scholz’s Taurus-No to be “unhistorical”. However, he would like Germany and France to pull together in the search for a peace solution in Ukraine, as they did when they said no to the Iraq war. “Because these are the powers that have opportunities for discussion because of the long history that also exists with Russia,” he said. “It would therefore be appropriate if these two combined their support for Ukraine with an attempt to find a solution to this conflict. And in principle it should actually be solvable.”
Debate about profile as Peace Chancellor “strange”
Schröder shows no understanding whatsoever for the criticism that Scholz wants to make a name for himself as a “peace chancellor” like he did back then. “I find this whole discussion really strange, which simply means: You can support war, no matter which side, but not for peace. So I think that’s completely wrong,” he said. “I see how attempts are now being made to portray Scholz as someone who is wrongly trying to create peace. Since when has it not been the task of a responsible politician in Germany, but also beyond Germany, to mediate peace? That is a given Task.”
Criticism from the CDU
Leading CDU politicians criticize Schröder’s support for Scholz’s no to the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine. “Anyone who has friends and supporters like the ex-Chancellor and Putin friend Gerhard Schröder actually doesn’t need any political enemies anymore,” said CDU presidium member Jens Spahn when he arrived for discussions with his party’s top leadership in Berlin.
The fact that someone like Schröder, “who speaks so uncritically for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, regularly supports the SPD in Germany and the Chancellor here,” should make Scholz think, Spahn added.
“I generally think that the SPD has to be careful in its language and its demands so that it doesn’t do the AfD’s business. Otherwise the citizens will vote for the original on this issue,” said Spahn.
CDU treasurer Julia Klöckner criticized: “We have seen that several times that former Chancellor Schröder does not have pure motives and does not have the appropriate distance from Russia. He paid well for it.” Schröder’s connections to Russia “are understanding connections for Mr. Putin, but not for the West, which also defends its democratic values and, above all, international law.”