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SPD leader Klingbeil in the SPIEGEL top-level talks
Lars Klingbeil is convinced that a Russian invasion of Ukraine can still be prevented.
But it's "pointed on the button," said the SPD party leader in SPIEGEL's top-level talks with Markus Feldenkirchen.
In the next few weeks it will be clear whether there is "war in the middle of Europe".
Klingbeil defended the course of the traffic light government in the Russian crisis against accusations of disagreement and indecisiveness. Regarding the comment that the SPD rejects Russia's exclusion from the Swift international payment system and is also not prepared to question Nord Stream 2, Klingbeil emphasized that in the event of a Russian attack "all options are on the table". Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also said that.
The SPD chairman justified the fact that the government has so far not said openly what sanctions would be imposed in the event of an invasion: “Anyone who thinks this way has not understood how international politics works.” How exactly Germany would react, “that will be up to the Russian side feel it at the moment when it crosses this limit.« He thinks it is wrong to let the other side look at their cards.
But now it's about not talking about war, but about peace.
A military conflict would completely change the continent, warned Klingbeil.
The recently agreed meeting in the Normandy format, in which talks between advisers from France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia take place, is also so important.
Klingbeil also excludes arms deliveries
Klingbeil ruled out arms deliveries to Ukraine.
You also have to think about how it will be received in Russia if new threats come every day.
Any invitation to talk to Russia would make it more difficult for the hardliners in Moscow to escalate the situation further.
In addition, it was clearly agreed in the coalition agreement that there would be no more arms deliveries to crisis areas.
Germany needs a more restrictive armaments policy.
The SPD leader did not answer directly when asked whether former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder could be described as a Russia lobbyist.
With Schröder, he primarily sees someone who has shaped the party for a long time.
According to Klingbeil, Schröder himself would “not even contradict” that he has close ties to Russia.
Klingbeil will also “not apologize for the fact that I have a close relationship with Gerhard Schröder.
But now I do politics as party chairman.
I can make my own decisions.«
The eastward expansion of NATO under Schröder as chancellor was not a mistake.
"That even happened in consultation with the Russian side." One should not allow oneself to be persuaded that agreements or principles had been violated.
In the SPIEGEL top-level discussion, Klingbeil also commented on the AfD federal presidential candidacy of the CDU member Max Otte.
He described it as scandalous that the head of the Values Union was running for the AfD.
"It shows how broken the Union is." He could only warn the CDU "that there is no longer a vote for Mr. Otte when the AfD has voting members in the Federal Assembly."
We will pay close attention to that.
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