Ukraine war: German independence from Russia?

Scholz still sees "big construction sites"

Created: 2022-03-23 ​​05:09

By: Jonas Raab

Ukraine war and the reactions from Germany: Klingbeil sees the support in Putin's own government "crumbling".

Scholz speaks up.

News ticker.

• On February 24, the Ukraine conflict* escalated: SPD* leader Lars Klingbeil assumes that the era of Russian President Vladimir Putin is coming to an end

  (see first report)

  .

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz* made a joint statement with the President of the European Parliament on Tuesday

  (see update from March 22, 5:41 p.m.)

  .

• The federal government calls for the "immediate release" of Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny

  (see update from March 22, 6 p.m.)

  .

• This 

  news ticker on reactions from Germany in the Ukraine conflict

   is continuously updated.

  Briefly explained information on the background of the Ukraine crisis* can be found here.

Update from March 22, 6 p.m.:

The federal government has sharply criticized the renewed conviction of the Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny*.

It was "unjustifiable by anything," said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Twitter on Tuesday.

The federal government is calling on the Russian authorities to "release Navalny immediately".

Against the background of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Hebestreit added: "The external aggression and the internal repression have reached a new dimension in Russia."

Navalny had already been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for fraud last year.

The prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin was sentenced to nine years in prison for embezzlement and contempt of court in another controversial trial on Tuesday.

His prison conditions are now being tightened again.

Ukraine war: EU Parliament leader Metsola meets Steinmeier - who is later corona positive

Update from March 22, 5:46 p.m.:

During her press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also confirmed a meeting with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Shortly before, it was announced that the 66-year-old had contracted the corona virus *.

Metsola did not disclose details about the meeting and possible corona consequences.

Update from March 22, 5:41 p.m .:

Before the conversation between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, about the Ukraine war, the two made a brief press statement.

Europe had changed as a result of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Scholz said early in the evening.

The close coordination of the states is therefore central, explains the Chancellor with a view to the summit of the seven leading industrialized countries (G7) next Thursday, which Scholz had convened.

"Turning point" because of the Ukraine war: Chancellor Scholz renewed his call for peace to Putin

“The war in Ukraine marks a turning point.

We have big plans as the European Union," said Chancellor Scholz in the joint press conference with Metsola.

A ceasefire is unavoidable due to the extensive suffering: "We call on Putin to stop the hostilities immediately."

Ukraine war: EU Parliament leader Metsola announces further sanctions against Russia

The talks between Scholz and Metsola should, among other things, be about how to support Ukraine and coordinate war refugees within the EU.

Metsola spoke of the "largest refugee movement since the Second World War".

"People have opened their hearts to our fellow Europeans," declared the President of the European Parliament.

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) speak to representatives of the press during a joint statement in the Chancellery.

© picture alliance/dpa/Reuters/Pool |

Michele Tantussi

Metsola continued to demand that Germany, as the largest EU country, take a pro-European approach in the escalating Ukraine conflict.

She called the "unprecedented sanctions" against Russia and its oligarchs the right way to go.

This war has a huge price that Putin cannot even imagine, Metsola said.

"But we can still do more."

When it comes to energy issues, the EU needs to be more resilient and independent, said Scholz and Metsola in unison.

However, they ruled out an energy embargo.

The position of the federal government is unchanged, said Scholz.

Nevertheless, they are working flat out to quickly become independent from Russia.

"But there are still big construction sites."

Ukraine war: Scholz and EU Parliament leader Metsola make a joint statement

First report from March 22nd:

Berlin – The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, is a guest in Berlin.

It is once again about Germany's reactions to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine*.

On Tuesday morning (March 22), Metsola first met the German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Bellevue Palace for talks before talking to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Federal Foreign Office in the early afternoon.

At 5 p.m. Metsola and Chancellor Olaf Scholz will make public statements on the Ukraine war.

The press event is also eagerly awaited because CDU * leader Friedrich Merz accused the Chancellor last Friday (March 18) of weeks of silence on the Ukraine crisis *.

"It's not enough to make a good government statement on a spectacular Sunday morning," said the CDU chairman at an election campaign event in Neumünster, alluding to Scholz's government statement in the Bundestag at the end of February.

There has to be more.

Ukraine war: CDU leader Merz criticizes Chancellor Scholz for radio silence

"Since the government statement, he's been silent again," criticized Merz.

Sometimes he has the feeling that Scholz is confusing the chancellery with a Trappist monastery.

According to the CDU leader, he had “not given a vow of silence”.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil* also commented on the Ukraine war in the run-up to Scholz's press conference.

He assumes that the era of Russia's President Vladimir Putin* is coming to an end, the SPD federal chairman said in an interview with the TV channel Bild Live: "I think this war heralded the end of Putin," said blade axe.

After four weeks of war in Ukraine, support in Putin's own government is beginning to "crumble".

SDP leader Lars Klingbeil and Chancellor Olaf Scholz make statements on the Ukraine war.

© picture alliance/dpa |

Kay Nietfeld

Germany's reactions to the Ukraine war: SPD leader Klingbeil believes the Putin era will end soon

"The political processes in Russia will very quickly gain momentum if Putin is questioned," Klingbeil continued.

"He is leading his country into misfortune," was the conclusion of the SPD leader.

The SPD chairman ruled out a later normalization of relations with a Russia* led by Putin: "What I don't see is that at some point we will be sitting at the tables again in a normal relationship with Vladimir Putin," he said.

"That time is over!" He hopes that Putin's political future "will come to an end very quickly".