Heavy weapons to Ukraine?
Traffic light Zoff comes to a head after Scholz's hesitation - Greens announce advance
Created: 04/25/2022, 21:33
By: Patrick Mayer
Federal Chancellor: Olaf Scholz from the SPD.
© Ben Stansall/POOL/AFP
The Russia-Ukraine war is becoming a crucial test for the traffic light federal government.
The SPD continues to firmly reject the delivery of tanks, the Greens want a motion to do so in the Bundestag.
Munich/Berlin: Will the Russia-Ukraine war become a crucial test for the German traffic light federal government?
For example, while high-ranking German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger sees Germany geopolitically sidelined, the SPD remains adamant in its no to the delivery of heavy weapons to Kyiv.
Heavy weapons for Ukraine?
Traffic light Zoff between SPD and FDP and Greens
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in particular remains firm on the subject.
Meanwhile, the Zoff comes to a head within the traffic light.
After the FDP spoke out in favor of the delivery of heavy weapons at its party conference, the Greens have now announced their own motion in the German Bundestag, without being specific.
We expect strong leadership from Germany.
Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia
“We will make our own application as a traffic light and bring it to the German Bundestag.
About everything we do for Ukraine, and the Union is cordially invited to negotiate about it," said Green Party leader Omid Nouripour on Monday (April 25) to several media outlets, including Poenix and ZDF.
However, the Social Democrats did not mention such a request in their statement on the same day.
Instead, SPD leader Saskia Esken said at a press conference that supplying tanks was out of the question.
Heavy weapons for Ukraine from Germany?
Arms group "Rheinmetall" wants to deliver "Marder".
According to ZDF, the German armaments group "Rheinmetall" from Düsseldorf had again offered Ukraine the sale of 100 decommissioned, but at least outdated "Marder" armored personnel carriers.
These would come directly from the group, not from the German Bundeswehr.
However, "Rheinmetall" wants to ensure the approval of the federal government before such a delivery, according to corresponding reports.
But there has apparently been no such approval from the government district in Berlin so far.
Used to transport infantry: the "Marder" infantry fighting vehicle.
© Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/dpa
Instead, Esken explained on Monday: “Of course, an armaments company is now pursuing its own interests and is now announcing what could be delivered.
We'll have to deal with that.
But it is very clear that the ring exchange now has priority.” In the ring exchange mentioned, eastern partners from the NATO alliance, for example Slovenia or Slovakia, are to supply Ukraine with Soviet-made T72 main battle tanks.
For example, Germany should equip its NATO partners with “Marder” infantry fighting vehicles.
In the video: Compact - The most important news about the Russia-Ukraine war
The pressure on Chancellor Scholz increases enormously in this mixed situation.
"On the one hand, it's about the symbol that we support, and secondly, it's really about not prolonging the war any further," explained Roderich Kiesewetter from the CDU parliamentary group to ZDF's "heute journal".
The Union of CDU and CSU had previously submitted an application for the delivery of heavy weapons.
The Federal Government is called upon to “immediately decide on offers from the security and defense industry to deliver material and weapons from companies, including 'heavy weapons' such as armored weapon systems (...) and artillery systems, to Ukraine in the shortest possible time “.
Heavy weapons for Ukraine?
NATO partners are putting pressure on Germany
Meanwhile, Eastern NATO and EU partners in particular are putting pressure on the traffic light.
"There are big countries that could do more," said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas during a visit to Berlin: "The best humanitarian aid these days is military aid for Kiev." Kallas continued: "We expect strong leadership from Germany. "
(pm)