Union delivers application for Ukraine weapons: pressure on traffic lights grows - SPD faction vice hisses at FDP expert

Created: 04/25/2022, 12:01 p.m

Chancellor Olaf Scholz listens to a speech by CDU leader Friedrich Merz in the Bundestag (archive image).

© Metodi Popov/Imago

The traffic light accuses the Union of "party tactics" and does not want to be split.

CDU/CSU make an offer - but another way seems more likely.

Berlin (dpa) - The document follows the announcement: In the dispute over the delivery of heavy weapons directly from Germany to Ukraine, the Union is keeping the pressure high.

The largest opposition faction is now presenting a proposal for a Bundestag resolution.

At the same time, she offered the traffic light from the SPD, Greens and FDP to work out a joint application.

In its draft, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group calls for German arms deliveries to be intensified “immediately and noticeably in terms of quantity and quality”.

Germany must now "join its allies in the EU and NATO and make a determined contribution to strengthening the Ukrainian self-defense forces - also and especially with heavy weapons".

Union advance is critically dismissed by traffic light coalition - offer stands

Several politicians in the traffic light coalition have already made it clear that they do not want to be divided by the Union initiative - despite differences in content on the issue.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has been accused of hesitation and reticence on the subject of arms deliveries for weeks, including from his own coalition.

The draft application is available to the dpa, the

first reported on it.

The Union sent him to the traffic light on Sunday (April 24) - "in connection with the offer of the Union faction to develop a joint application," as faction leader Friedrich Merz said.

"It's not tactics, it's a sincere offer to talk," assured the CDU chairman after he had received many allegations in this direction.

On Friday he said that if the federal government does not deliver, then Parliament must deliver.

In the Union, it is assumed that the application will be discussed in Parliament on Thursday.

Heavy weapons from Germany for Ukraine?

Ampel wants to oppose the Merz plan

The FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who is clearly committed to the delivery of heavy weapons, told the ARD capital studio on Sunday: "If there is an application from the CDU, we will offer our own application and then we will discuss it vote.” So the traffic light could still get out of the noose.

"We will certainly not allow Friedrich Merz to believe that he is breaking this traffic light with such a political move.

He won't be able to do that." SPD leader Lars Klingbeil had already accused the Union of a "riot course" because of the planned application.

Chancellor Scholz initially rejected the delivery of heavy weapons from the Bundeswehr stocks.

Instead, the federal government wants to finance arms deliveries from the industry and support donations from alliance partners with replacement services, training or ammunition.

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) emphasized on Sunday evening in the ZDF program “Berlin direct”: “We are already doing a lot.

We make sure that heavy weapons come to Ukraine. ”He referred, for example, to the money pot provided for arms purchases from the industry.

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Union submits weapons application for the Bundestag - central coordination also desired

The Union's proposal specifically calls on the federal government "to provide the greatest possible amount of armaments directly for Ukraine from available Bundeswehr stocks and to deliver them there immediately, including 'heavy weapons' such as armored weapon systems (including battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles) and artillery systems, and extensive reconnaissance equipment , command equipment, protective equipment, means of electronic warfare, rifles, ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank weapons and all other means necessary to combat the Russian invading troops".

In addition, the government should 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".

The "central coordination of Ukraine's requests for support" should be guaranteed "by a head office in the Federal Chancellery".

Traffic light under pressure because of Union application - SPD parliamentary group leader is already hissing at FDP expert

The fact that the topic continues to cause tension in the coalition - although this is often denied by prominent party and coalition representatives - is illustrated, for example, by a statement by SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Wiese.

He told the

with a view to the FDP chairwoman of the defense committee: "Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann should recognize that you coordinate in a coalition and act together." You don't have to "speak into every microphone and communicate".