Kremlin confirms phone call: Putin explains Scholz "logic" behind Ukraine war - Chancellor insists on three points

Created: 05/13/2022Updated: 05/13/2022 13:44

By: Florian Naumann, Bedrettin Bölükbasi

Scholz speaks to the Defense Committee on Ukraine arms deliveries.

Meanwhile, Heil warns of an economic crisis.

The news ticker.

• Traffic light scandal

  at the

  Defense Committee

  : Apparently, the FDP working group left the meeting with Chancellor Scholz prematurely.

• Scholz

  in the

  Defense Committee

  : Chancellor Olaf Scholz answers questions about his Ukraine course in the Defense Committee.

• Warning

  of a

  "double crisis"

  : Federal Labor Minister Heil warns of a new economic crisis in the event of a gas embargo.

• This

  news ticker on Germany's reactions to the Ukraine war

  is continuously updated.

Update from May 13, 1:35 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz revealed details of his phone call with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin on Twitter.

"Three things from today's long phone call with Putin: There must be a ceasefire in #Ukraine as soon as possible.

The claim that Nazis rule there is false.

And I pointed out Russia's responsibility for the global food situation," Scholz wrote in his message on the short message service.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz talks to Putin - Kremlin boss explains "logic" of the invasion

Update from May 13, 12:50 p.m .:

After weeks of radio silence, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin called each other again, according to information from Moscow.

The talks on the situation in Ukraine took place at the initiative of the German side, the Kremlin said.

According to the Russian state agency

, the focus of the call was on humanitarian issues.

Putin explained to Scholz the "logic and main goals" of the "special operation" described by Russia as such and explained measures to protect the civilian population, the agency reported, citing the Kremlin.

The Russian President also drew attention to "violations of international humanitarian law by militants who profess Nazi ideology".

Defense committee: Faber denies scandal – “no one feels fooled”

Update from May 13, 11:45 a.m .:

FDP politician Marcus Faber has now denied reports that he left the defense committee meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz early.

"After the end of the session, my colleagues and I left the committee meeting today.

That's why no one feels 'cheated' and no one has issued a protest note," he said in a tweet.

When relativizing it could be more about finesse.

The appointment was scheduled from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Faber told ARD.

"We, as free democrats," decided shortly after 9 a.m. to "leave the session," he said.

There were still no “answers” ​​from the Chancellor.

The

had previously reported that several FDP MPs had left the appointment out of anger at Scholz's answers.

The AFP news agency picked up the process, citing an earlier tweet by Faber that can no longer be found online.

The liberal now practiced irony.

"By the way, no objects were thrown either," he wrote with a winking emoji.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz apparently wants to call Putin

Update from May 13, 11 a.m.:

According to participants, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in the Bundestag Defense Committee that he wanted to try to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I heard, I heard clearly, that the chancellor had also announced a new initiative for talks with Putin," said SPD defense politician Wolfgang Hellmich after the hour-long meeting with Scholz.

The chancellor did this according to the motto: "Before May 9th it didn't make any sense, but we have to make a new attempt because we have to talk to each other." Without channels of communication, it would not be possible to find a solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, it has been officially confirmed that at least one FDP politician left the meeting early.

"Unfortunately, many answers were not given," MP Marcus Faber wrote on Twitter.

In the committee, the Chancellor had the opportunity "to declare himself on Ukraine," wrote Faber.

"I hope that we can catch up on this." According to information from the AFP news agency, the action was not coordinated in the FDP parliamentary group.

Elsewhere in the group, it was said to AFP that the chancellor's appearance was "okay for the first round". 

Germany and the Ukraine war: Traffic light scandal at the Defense Committee - FDP leaves session

Update from May 13, 10:20 a.m .:

When Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared in the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, there was apparently an internal coalition scandal: the FDP working group allegedly left the meeting shortly before the end of the appointment and during Scholz’s lecture.

That reports the

.

The reason was therefore annoyance at the Chancellor's evasive answers.

Scholz answered questions about the Ukraine war with information about the Global South and China's role on the world stage;

one feels "ripped off," the tabloid quoted an unnamed Liberal source as saying.

However, according to the report, there are also internal discrepancies within the FDP.

Because the chair of the defense committee is the FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann.

She had also invited Scholz, the head of government of the joint traffic light cabinet of the SPD, Greens and FDP, to the committee and allegedly does not appreciate the actions of the party friends.

The reason for this was disagreements over the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

The federal government has meanwhile agreed to provide such equipment;

Ukraine, however, continues to criticize the plans.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Strack-Zimmermann reports on "very constructive" talks with Scholz

Update from May 13, 10:10 a.m.:

Even after the end of the defense committee, Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not comment on the cameras.

Together with the chair of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), Scholz left the room where the meeting was held.

Strack-Zimmermann had previously accused the Chancellor of being hesitant to deliver arms to Ukraine.

After a short exchange with each other in front of the hall, Scholz said goodbye with quick steps.

Instead of Scholz, the FDP politician made a statement in front of the cameras.

"It was a very constructive conversation," was her first assessment.

The Chancellor offered to visit the committee again and stay in close contact.

With a view to NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, Strack-Zimmermann emphasized that the Bundestag must meet “as soon as possible” in the event of an application from these countries in order to set an example for other NATO countries.

Here one will cooperate closely with the Federal Chancellery.

Scholz also said that Germany stands by Finland and Sweden within the framework of the EU to provide support in the event of a "security problem".

The Chancellor also said that “as long as this war is raging in Ukraine”, Germany will stand by Ukraine with humanitarian, economic and military aid.

Regarding further deliveries of weapons, the FDP politician said: “The weapons that were mentioned remain so.

There is no prospect of going beyond these guys.”

Germany and the Ukraine war: FDP demands coordinator for Ukraine weapons

Update from May 13, 9:15 a.m .:

The FDP calls for the appointment of a coordinator for arms deliveries to Ukraine.

"There has to be someone who does it," said committee chairwoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) before the defense committee meeting in Berlin.

There are currently “a lot of misunderstandings” within the federal government on the subject.

"I think you can make one or the other thing a little smoother so that the weapons can be delivered very quickly," said the FDP politician.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Greens co-founder wants "a sense of proportion" in arms deliveries

Update from May 13, 9 a.m.:

Greens co-founder Hans-Christian Ströbele urges more judgment in the debate about the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

Ströbele told the

: "There must be no automatic delivery of heavy weapons." The long-standing member of the Bundestag continued: "For many decades we tried to prevent a war between East and West.

Unfortunately, 77 years after the end of the Second World War, the risk of a full-scale military confrontation has increased again.

And that keeps me from saying you now also have to supply heavy weapons that are suitable for an attack and that are mostly used.”

He also commented on the Greens' weapon turnaround.

By agreeing to the delivery of heavy weapons, the Greens are moving away from the principles of the peace movement, Ströbele said.

According to Ströbele, he would like the Greens to “above all do what you have unfortunately failed to do after previously taking part in the war, for example after 20 years of war in Afghanistan: at the latest after the end of the war against Ukraine, the Greens must have a discussion about how the radical change in green positions on this issue came about.

I hear and read with great astonishment and sometimes incomprehension that the Greens of all people are at the forefront of the pro-gun movement today.”

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz before the Defense Committee - Chancellor arrives

Update from May 13, 8:05 a.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has now arrived at the Defense Committee.

The Chancellor did not comment before entering the meeting.

Due to the explosive issues on the agenda, the Defense Committee meets behind closed doors.

Germany and the Ukraine War: Debate on the delivery of heavy weapons

First report from May 13:

Munich - With a view to the Ukraine war, hardly any other topic was discussed as much in Germany as arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The heavy fighting in Ukraine continues and is becoming increasingly violent in the east of the country.

This map shows where the Ukraine war is raging.

In order to be able to defend itself against the troops of Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian government demanded heavy weapons - also from Germany.

In a historic go, the Bundestag decided to supply heavy weapons.

In Kyiv, however, it caused outrage that the delivery was only approved around two months after the start of the war and long discussions.

The action taken by the federal government also met with criticism from some quarters in German politics.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) now wants to answer further questions about his government's course in Ukraine.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Scholz in the Defense Committee - Chancellor answers Ukraine questions

Accordingly, on Friday morning

, Scholz will answer questions from the Bundestag's defense committee about his Ukraine policy.

The session will start at 8 a.m.

The occasion is an invitation from the committee chairwoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) in April.

She had vehemently advocated the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine and accused Scholz of hesitation on the issue.

In the meantime, the federal government has given the green light for the provision of decommissioned Gepard anti-aircraft tanks.

Berlin then also announced the delivery of seven Panzerhaubitzen 2000.

Another possible topic of the talks with Scholz could be the planned special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr.

Negotiations are underway here with the Union to enable a planned amendment to the Basic Law.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will answer questions in the defense committee about the federal government's course in Ukraine.

© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa/archive image

Germany and the Ukraine war: warning of a "double crisis" - Heil skeptical about the gas embargo

A possible gas embargo against Russia is another topic of discussion in the background of the Ukraine crisis.

In the debate, Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) warned of a new economic crisis in Germany.

"A unilateral gas embargo by Germany against Russia, for example, would plunge us into a double crisis, then we would be in stagflation, i.e. in an economic crisis and prices rising even more," Heil told the

.

Stagflation is "the horror of all economists and politicians," he added.

"This must be prevented.

And thank God our economy is still growing,” says Heil.

If the situation “escalates economically”, the federal government will act and, for example, further extend short-time work, the SPD minister said.

The President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), Peter Adrian, also warned of the effects of a possible stop to gas supplies from Russia.

"The federal government must do everything possible to ensure security in the energy supply in Germany," Adrian told the

.

"Because a failure of Russian gas supplies would not only hit the energy-intensive industry hard," emphasized the DIHK President.