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FDP leader Lindner at the federal party conference: connected from Washington
Photo: CLEMENS BILAN / EPA
FDP leader Christian Lindner has committed to supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine.
"Ukraine must win this war, and Ukraine will win this war," said Lindner in his speech at the federal party conference of the Liberals in Berlin, to which he was connected from Washington.
He was infected with Corona during a trip to the USA.
In his speech, however, Lindner qualified the statement that there were two "limits" to arms deliveries: they should neither endanger "our own security" nor the "defensibility of NATO territory".
"This limits our options." The delegates wanted to discuss and vote on a motion on the matter in the afternoon.
»The Federal Chancellor has the confidence of the FDP«
Lindner defended Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) against criticism of his Ukraine policy and assured him of his support.
"Olaf Scholz is a responsible leader who weighs things up carefully and makes decisions on this basis," said Lindner.
»The Federal Chancellor has the confidence of the FDP and also of their parliamentary group in the German Bundestag.«
In his speech, Lindner showed a lack of understanding of the Union's criticism.
For example, she accuses the Chancellor of being too hesitant about the issue of arms deliveries and wants to submit a motion to the Bundestag.
The Union is obviously about "getting the government coalition into trouble and destabilizing the government," said the FDP leader.
"In times of war in Europe, I have no sympathy for this form of partisan political maneuvering."
In his speech, Lindner did not address the fact that politicians from the FDP and the Greens, the third coalition partner, had also criticized Scholz's Ukraine policy.
For example, at the start of the party congress, FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki sharply criticized the SPD for its attitude towards the war.
"The image that many representatives of the largest governing party are presenting in front of the eyes of the world public is not one that can satisfy us as a coalition partner," said Kubicki.
Sharp criticism of Scholz and doubts about his leadership qualities were also raised in the delegates' discussion after Lindner's speech.
sms/dpa