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The Chair of the Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, asks Olaf Scholz to answer questions
Photo: Britta Pedersen/ picture alliance/ dpa
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is to report personally on arms deliveries to Ukraine at the next meeting of the Defense Committee.
"I would be very pleased if your schedule would allow you to take part," says a letter to the chancellor from committee chair Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, which SPIEGEL has seen.
The drama of the war in Ukraine "increases from day to day," writes the FDP politician.
"The situation in the city of Mariupol and the endless suffering of the civilians trapped there are a striking reminder of the brutality of the warfare by Russian President Vladimir Putin," writes Strack-Zimmermann.
»The question of what contribution Germany and in particular the Bundeswehr can actually make in terms of arms deliveries is an existential question for the people of Ukraine.«
Since the invasion of Russia, the Defense Committee has dealt with the current situation in Ukraine at each of its meetings and also discussed the status of the sensitive material handed over to Ukraine, the letter continues.
Members of the federal government were already critical on Wednesday.
The chairman of the Europe Committee, Anton Hofreiter (Greens), told ZDF that the problem with Germany's attitude was "that we slow down the sanctions, the arms deliveries, and there is a risk that the war will become longer and longer pulls «.
Hofreiter even warned of a third world war.
The Scholz camp, on the other hand, argues that the Bundeswehr would no longer be able to meet its alliance obligations if it were to continue supplying Ukraine with weapons from its stocks.
"The Bundeswehr has delivered everything it can spare," said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
Instead, the federal government is holding talks with the arms industry about possible purchases by the Ukrainian government.
Germany is also making money available to the Ukrainian government.
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