weapons shipments
SPD leader Klingbeil rejects criticism of Scholz
“I’m glad that we have a Chancellor who thinks this through”: SPD leader Lars Klingbeil (archive photo). Photo: Britta Pedersen/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
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Chancellor Scholz remains under pressure despite his promises to supply arms to Ukraine. SPD party leader Klingbeil defends the head of government. But there is renewed criticism and demands.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has rejected criticism of the leadership style of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and defended the course of the federal government with regard to arms deliveries.
“It is true that in this current situation we have a Chancellor who leads carefully, who thinks things through from the end, who coordinates with international partners,” said Klingbeil in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” on Thursday . There are no simple answers to complex situations.
«Agreement with partners»
“I’m glad that we have a chancellor who thinks this through, who discusses it with our partners,” said Klingbeil. Germany has significantly increased deliveries to Ukraine in terms of quality and quantity in recent weeks. “We see how Russia is changing the way of warfare. We also have to adjust the issue of arms deliveries, »emphasized the SPD politician.
The Chancellor had been accused of hesitation in delivering heavy weapons from Ukraine and from allies in Eastern Europe. Individual politicians from the Greens and the FDP lacked leadership.
After the meeting between co-party leader Saskia Esken (SPD) and Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk on Wednesday, Klingbeil also showed understanding for Melnyk’s criticism of the federal government. «Mr Melnyk is the ambassador of a country that is currently being brutally attacked. People die every day in Ukraine. Ukraine should be destroyed by Vladimir Putin. He has now said that publicly several times, »said Klingbeil. So he understands that an ambassador can also express himself emotionally. “We don’t always agree, but we talk well about the matter,” says Klingbeil. The SPD leader did not want to comment on the exact details of the conversation.
SPD country chief for tank deliveries
Thuringia’s SPD head of state, Georg Maier, advocates the delivery of armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. He was in favor of “supplying or financing Ukraine’s weapons that are most effective, i.e. anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles,” said Maier in an interview with the “Thuringian General”. “But we should also provide armored personnel carriers like the Marder, directly from the Bundeswehr.” The tanks would be quick to deploy in Ukraine and easy to operate.
The FDP defense politician Alexander Müller demanded that the federal government make quick decisions about the further course of arms deliveries. “The German public has a right to know whether we are supplying heavy weapons like our NATO partners. To this day, the line of the federal government is still unclear,” said Müller of the German Press Agency. “Much would be achieved if the export applications, which have been available for two months, were finally decided,” he demanded. Müller is spokesman for defense technology and procurement for the FDP parliamentary group and chairman of the defense committee.