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SPD Party Chairman Lars Klingbeil and SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz
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CLEMENS BILAN v EPO
Critics accuse Germany of not putting enough pressure on Moscow.
Above all, they complain that the federal government is not supplying Ukraine with weapons and is still sticking to Nord Stream 2.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has now defended Chancellor Olaf Scholz's course in view of Russia's threats against Ukraine.
"Olaf Scholz said clearly that nothing is out of the question," said Klingbeil on Tuesday evening on the ZDF program "Markus Lanz" with a view to possible sanctions against Russia.
These were a central topic at the joint press conference held by Scholz and US President Joe Biden the previous evening at the White House in Washington.
Biden had clearly said there that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would mean the end of the controversial Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline.
On the other hand, Scholz did not name the gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, despite repeated inquiries, but only said: "You can be sure that there will be no measures in which we will act differently."
Putin does not let his cards be looked at
Klingbeil said Scholz made a clear statement.
"There is a coordinated strategy, all options are on the table." It's about preventing a war in the middle of Europe.
And it doesn't make sense to let Russian President Vladimir Putin look at your cards - the head of the Kremlin doesn't do that either.
"I think it's absolutely unwise to tell Putin what we're doing," said Klingbeil.
Despite a massive Russian troop deployment near Ukraine, Putin has always rejected any intentions of war.
A slim majority of Germans still considers a Russian invasion of Ukraine to be likely.
Referring to a survey by the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR) think tank, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that 52 percent expect a Russian attack before the end of this year.
However, only 37 percent of citizens believed that Germany should defend Ukraine in the event of an invasion.
In addition to Germany, the ECFR also interviewed people in Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Romania and Sweden.
According to SZ, it was shown that the concern about a Russian attack was greatest in the Eastern European countries.
There was agreement across countries on the question of whether NATO or the EU should defend Ukraine – at least 60 percent agreed here.
People in Poland, Germany, Romania and Italy preferred a NATO mission, while the French, Swedes and Finns preferred the European Union.
Only in Poland did a majority (65 percent) think that their own country should intervene directly.
When it comes to possible negative consequences of a conflict with Russia, there are clear differences between the individual states.
According to the survey, more people in Poland, Sweden and Romania were willing to accept consequences such as rising energy prices, refugees and cyber attacks than were opposed to them.
The ECFR found the least willingness to do so among French and German citizens.
Lithuania hopes for German leadership in NATO
Nonetheless, the ECFR concluded that "the Russian president should be surprised" that "most Europeans appear ready to defend Ukraine" - at least within the framework of international alliances.
Against the background of the Russian troop deployment in Ukraine, Lithuania is asking NATO and Germany in particular for more soldiers and help with air defense.
Deputy Defense Minister Margiris Abukevicius told the newspaper "Welt" that his country considers it "absolutely necessary" to strengthen the NATO troops in the country.
"We would be pleased if Germany, as the leading nation of the NATO combat troops in Lithuania, made a contribution." It would also be important "if Germany and other countries improved our air defense with anti-aircraft missiles or anti-aircraft guns."
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced on Monday that up to 350 additional Bundeswehr soldiers would be stationed in Lithuania.
muk/dpa/AFP
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