Marder tanks for Ukraine: Rheinmetall has “first vehicles ready” – is the Scholz-Go coming?

Created: 06/12/2022Updated: 06/12/2022 13:37

By: Andreas Schmid, Christoph Gschoßmann

The FDP wants Germany to deliver Marder tanks to Ukraine without exchanging rings.

Minister of Health Lauterbach travels to Ukraine.

All information in the news ticker.

• Olaf Scholz travels to Ukraine: According to a report, the Chancellor wants to visit Kyiv in June.

  
  
  

  FDP demands marten direct deliveries to Ukraine: "They are ready in the yard"

• Controversy over excess profit tax: "populist" or counteracting "perversion tendencies"?

• This news ticker about the reactions from Germany to the Ukraine war

  is updated regularly.

Update from June 12, 1:05 p.m

.: Rheinmetall can deliver several Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

They had been decommissioned by the Bundeswehr and then modernized.

Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger zur

: "The first vehicles are already ready."

"When and where the martens are delivered is the decision of the federal government," added the head of the armaments company - which currently employs 25,000 people.

Kyiv wants Berlin to use heavy weapons to defend itself against Russia.

Rheinmetall had offered to deliver the Marder.

The federal government has not yet decided according to the current public status. 

Incidentally, due to the high demand for military equipment, Rheinmetall wants to increase capacities.

"We expect a significant increase in sales of up to 20 percent per year," says Papperger to the

.

"We will go into multi-shift operation at some locations."

The “Marder” armored personnel carrier during an exercise in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (archive image) © Bernd Wüstneck/dpa

Traffic light coalition and the Ukraine war: According to the newspaper, Scholz travels to Kyiv in June

Update from June 11, 8:59 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) apparently wants to travel to Ukraine in June.

This emerges from a report by

.

There should be concrete travel plans.

Scholz wants to travel to Kyiv with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi before the G7 summit in June.

Union accuses Scholz of hesitation in delivering weapons

Update from June 11, 2:09 p.m .:

The Union has accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of putting the brakes on the delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

The CDU foreign politician Roderich Kieswetter said on Saturday on the rbb24 info radio that he expected Scholz to finally implement the Bundestag decision on this.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Foreign Office had issued all permits (for arms deliveries).

Now it is up to Scholz, as chairman of the Federal Security Council, to make these deliveries possible.

"It's blocking the chancellery," complained Kiesewetter.

Without the supply of heavy weapons, war crimes would not be prevented.

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The CDU foreign expert Norbert Röttgen made a similar statement.

"It is tragic that now, in the most difficult and loss-making weeks for Ukraine, nothing can be expected from the federal government in terms of weapons that it needs right now," Röttgen told the

(Saturday).

"Ukraine will pay a high price in blood because it is missing artillery weapons right now," warned the CDU politician.

Overall, the chancellor's actions were aimed at “not doing anything that would seriously damage his ability to talk to Putin.

And I think that's a serious mistake," said Röttgen.

Kiesewetter also cited the hesitant attitude that he "still believes, together with Macron, to be able to negotiate with Putin" as the reason for Scholz's hesitancy." But Putin could only offer one thing: your forehead, emphasized Kiesewetter.

Update from June 11, 9:47 a.m .:

Ukraine urgently needs weapons in the fight against Russia.

German Marder tanks are supposed to help.

But so far only a "ring exchange" is planned - i.e. deliveries to NATO countries such as the Czech Republic or Greece, which then deliver their old Soviet tanks to the Ukraine.

According to the demands of the FDP, that is not enough: the party wants fast, direct delivery.

The party agreed "that we should give the Ukrainians more support for the Marder infantry fighting vehicle," said deputy parliamentary group leader Alexander Graf Lambsdorff of the

(Saturday).

The Marder tanks are not battle tanks.

"They are ready in the yard, they can be processed and delivered." Graf Lambsdorff continues: "As the FDP, we are of the opinion that this should also happen." The situation with the Leopard I tank is different: "Look at the Leopard we what the allies are doing," said the FDP parliamentary group leader.

“There are no French, British, Italian or American main battle tanks in Ukraine.

In this respect there is also no German Leopard tank.”

German Marder tanks could possibly soon support the Ukrainian army in defending their country.

But delivery has been delayed for weeks.

(Iconic image) © Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa

Lauterbach promises medical support to Ukraine

Update from June 10, 7:12 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) promised medical support during a visit to Ukraine.

Germany will, among other things, supply prostheses and help care for people with severe burns, Lauterbach announced on Friday in Lviv.

With a view to the discussion about an outstanding trip to Kyiv by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), the minister emphasized that he was there on behalf of the entire federal government.

Update from June 10, 6 p.m.:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is currently in Serbia.

After talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, the Chancellor put pressure on the EU accession candidate.

The country has to participate in the sanctions against Russia.

"We expect that the sanctions will also be implemented by those countries that are moving in the EU accession process."

At the joint press conference, Vucic confirmed that Scholz “clearly requested that Serbia join the EU sanctions” in a bilateral conversation.

Belgrade has condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine in the UN General Assembly and other bodies.

However, his country takes a different stance on the sanctions, he continued.

So it has to take into account that it is in a “very complicated situation” with regard to the energy supply.

Vucic later became even clearer - and publicly attacked the Chancellor.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is received in Belgras by Serbian President Aleksander Vucic (r).

Serbia has been negotiating to join the EU since 2014.

At the same time, it maintains close ties with Russia and China.

© Michael Kappeler/dpa

Ukraine war/excess profit tax: "populist" or counteracting "perversion tendencies"?

Update from June 10, 4:19 p.m

.: A tax on excessive corporate profits in times of war and crisis?

The push by Bremen, Berlin and Thuringia is met with resistance - in the Bundesrat itself and in the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The aim is to levy a levy on excess profits caused by the crisis in 2022, especially in the energy sector.

This should then be used to finance state relief measures, which are becoming more urgent in view of the currently rising prices across the board.

"They simply earn a fortune because they shamelessly exploit the current situation," said Bremen's Prime Minister Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD).

Thuringia's Federal and European Minister Benjamin Immanuel Hoff (left) spoke of "perversion tendencies in our economy".

Lower Saxony's CDU Finance Minister Reinhold Hilbers, on the other hand, called the initiative "populist" and a "little effective means".

Many questions arose.

"What is a war-related surplus and at what level can it be assumed that it will occur?

Are the possible excess profits of the armaments industry that can be expected also caused by the war?

Without a doubt.

But are they also immoral?” asked the CDU politician with a view to the Bundeswehr special fund that had been decided.

The bill on the excess profit tax was referred to the specialist committees for further deliberation, which will now deal with it from 20 June. 

There is great resistance to the push for an excess profits tax (symbol image).

© Matthias Bein/dpa

Germany and the Ukraine war: Bundesrat approves Bundeswehr billions

Update from June 10, 12:55 p.m

.: With the Bundeswehr special fund, the traffic light coalition is reacting to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

After the Bundestag, the Bundesrat is now also responsible for the planned special fund and the associated amendment to the Basic Law.

The necessary two-thirds majority was achieved in the state chamber.

The additional 100 billion euros are intended to reduce deficits in the Bundeswehr equipment.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had promised this at the end of February shortly after the start of the war.

F-35 fighter jets, new corvettes for the navy and successors to the Marder infantry fighting vehicle and the Fuchs troop carrier are to be bought.

Özdemir travels to Kyiv during the Ukraine war and wants to talk about the grain crisis

Update from June 10, 12:38 p.m

.: Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir is currently in Ukraine.

There he promised support for the war-torn country.

"We want to talk about how we can help Ukrainian agriculture, but of course it's also about a sign of solidarity," said the Green politician, who wanted to meet his Ukrainian colleague Mykola Solskyj in Kyiv.

Özdemir also wanted to talk to Solskyj about global food security.

"We are looking for safe ways for agricultural exports," said a ministry spokesman.

The grain crisis as a result of the Ukraine war is great.

Dozens of container ships are stranded in Ukrainian ports and are being blocked by the Russian military.

As a result, Ukrainian exports of wheat, sunflower oil, fertilizer and other goods cannot be processed as usual.

After criticism of Russia connections: Former Chancellor Schröder wants to remain in the SPD

Update from June 10, 9.03 a.m

.: Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder says he is calm about the internal SPD procedure for the party exclusion applications directed against him.

He stressed to

that the outcome would not have any consequences for his basic political convictions.

"I have never voted for anything other than SPD in my political life." He emphasized: "My basic political attitude will not change."

Schröder has been criticized for years for his commitment to Russian state-owned companies.

He has been close friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin since his time as chancellor (1998 to 2005).

After the Russian attack on Ukraine, the pressure on him had increased.

Several motions to expel the party were made.

The oral hearing is scheduled for June 22 in Hanover.

It is unclear whether Schröder himself will appear at the hearing.

Der

had reported that the ex-Chancellor would stay away from the appointment and would not be legally represented.

Schröder announced in May that he was leaving the board of directors of Russian energy giant Rosneft and turned down a nomination for a board position at Gazprom.

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (archive image) © Zhang Yuan / IMAGO

Lauterbach: Aid package for injured care planned

Update from June 10, 8:17 a.m .:

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wants to offer Ukraine an “aid package” for the care of war wounded during his visit to the country this Friday.

"So much misery has arisen here as a result of this barbaric war of aggression," he said in the ARD "Morgenmagazin".

He is on the road with a team of surgeons and specialists "to help with the care of severely injured people with burns - that's where we want to train, that's where we want to build it up".

In addition, according to the SPD politician, help is planned to provide people who have lost limbs with prostheses.

In addition, it is also about telemedical support for serious interventions.

Lauterbach also mentioned a donor conference this Friday in Lviv, western Ukraine, without giving any details.

"We have more and more injuries, more and more seriously injured, we have more and more injured children - and at the same time the care is collapsing a bit because even the medical facilities are being bombed," Lauterbach continued.

He was on the show on Friday morning from Poland.

Asked about the fact that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has not traveled to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, Lauterbach said: "Olaf Scholz wants to travel, just like I do myself, if you can offer something concrete.

(...) In this respect, I am also traveling on his behalf.” The Health Minister also referred to the visit to Ukraine by Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) also this Friday.

This helps with the food supply in the country.

"We are doing a humanitarian initiative here on behalf of the entire federal government, also on behalf of Olaf Scholz."

Weapons deliveries: Ukrainian ambassador wants more clarity from Germany

Update from June 10, 6:17 a.m

.: Ukraine has not yet received any information from Germany as to when the weapons recently promised by the federal government to defend against Russia will be delivered.

So far, there is no clarity as to when the Mars multiple rocket launchers will be handed over from Bundeswehr stocks.

That's what the ambassador in Germany, Andriy Melnyk, told the

“(Online).

"We expect the traffic light to fulfill this promise expeditiously because our troops need this weapon system most urgently to protect Ukrainian civilians from barbaric attacks by Russia."

Head of Munich Siko urges perseverance in the conflict with Russia

Update from June 9, 8:57 p.m .:

The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, has urged perseverance in the conflict with Russia.

“Putin thinks Western European societies are decadent.

He believes that the totalitarian Russia he governs has better staying power and that we will soften under inflationary pressure, high fuel and food prices and support for Ukraine is waning," Heusgen told the news portal "t-online".

He demanded that the Russian President be persuaded otherwise.

"It must be clear to him that the transatlantic community is holding together, that the sanctions are being maintained and even tightened, and that support for Ukraine is only just beginning."

Putin only understands the language of toughness, which is also his language, said Heusgen, who represented Germany as ambassador to the United Nations in New York and was foreign policy advisor to ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel for many years.

From the diplomat's point of view, however, there is basically nothing to prevent Chancellor Olaf Scholz from continuing to speak to Putin.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda had sharply criticized Scholz for this.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks in a video conference with Olaf Scholz

Update from June 9th, 3 p.m.:

There are new details and reactions to the video conference of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and high-ranking government officials.

Stoltenberg said Germany was showing "exemplary leadership" with its willingness to lead a multinational combat troop brigade in Lithuania near the Russian border, he said on Thursday after talks with Scholz and Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (both SPD).

The focus of the consultations was the threat situation after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to his spokesman, Scholz reaffirmed the will of the federal government to make an appropriate contribution to NATO's protective mandate.

After her meeting with Stoltenberg, Minister Lambrecht declared: "We want to strengthen our presence on the eastern flank." The deliberations served in particular to prepare for the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of the month.

There, the alliance says it wants to take “further steps to significantly strengthen defense and deterrence”.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg talks to Scholz

Update from June 9, 3 p.m.:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday about the strategic realignment of the western military alliance.

As government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit subsequently announced, Scholz reaffirmed the will of the federal government to make an appropriate contribution to NATO's protection mandate.

Stoltenberg had actually wanted to come to Berlin, but because the Secretary General was ill, the conversation took place via video conference.

Ukraine war: Scholz fears protracted battles

Update from June 9, 2:45 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) fears that Russia’s war against Ukraine will take a long time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet understood that his plans will not work, said Scholz in an interview with the radio station Antenne Bayern.

"Having failed to capture all of Ukraine and having withdrawn his troops around Kyiv, he is now bombing the regions of eastern Ukraine, especially Donbass, and apparently has the idea that if he bombs everything there that can then become part of the Russian empire," said Scholz.

"But that won't work."

The economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the West significantly hampered the country's development opportunities, the Chancellor said.

"And he won't get rid of them without doing what we're asking him to do all the time, namely withdrawing his troops and agreeing a fair peace with Ukraine," added Scholz.

Ukraine War: Will Russian Oligarchs Be Expropriated Soon?

FDP open

Update from June 9, 12:30 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann has been open to expropriating Russian oligarchs and using their assets to rebuild Ukraine.

You have to make a difference between state and private assets, said the FDP politician on the sidelines of an EU meeting in Luxembourg.

In the case of private assets, there is the possibility of “skimming off” assets.

The prerequisite is that it is proven in court that suspects were involved in war crimes or illegal warfare.

Bushman said Russia was responsible for terrible war damage in Ukraine.

The reconstruction of the country will cost a lot of money.

"Ukraine won't be able to do that alone." That's why we need to discuss how to involve Russia in this.

Last month, the EU Commission proposed that circumventing sanctions be defined as a criminal offense in all EU countries.

In such cases, oligarchs should be able to be expropriated. 

Germany in the Ukraine war: Stoltenberg cancels visit to Berlin

Update from June 9, 9:05 a.m .:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has canceled his visit to Berlin today.

Stoltenberg informed about this at short notice, the Federal Ministry of Defense announced in the morning.

A NATO spokesman in Brussels said on request that Stoltenberg was ill and would make the planned visit to Germany "not personally, but from afar".

The Federal Press Office canceled a planned press conference by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Stoltenberg before the originally planned meeting.

The federal government then announced a video conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for noon (12.15 p.m.).

In addition to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Stoltenberg should have met Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) in Berlin.

The focus of the meeting should have been preparations for the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June.

According to the German government, the focus should also be on the effects of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine on the Euro-Atlantic security situation.

Germany in the Ukraine war: Duda criticizes Scholz's phone call with Putin - "did anyone talk to Hitler like that?"

Update from June 9, 8:25 a.m .:

Polish President Andrzej Duda sharply criticized the phone calls from Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron to Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin.

"I'm amazed at all the talks that are being held with Putin at the moment by Chancellor Scholz and President Macron," said Duda in an

interview.

"These talks are useless.

They only legitimize a person responsible for crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine,” the Polish President stressed.

To support his criticism, Duda used a historical comparison: "Did anyone talk to Adolf Hitler like that during World War II?

Did someone say that Adolf Hitler must be able to save face?”.

He doesn't know such voices.

"Everyone knew: you have to defeat him."

Duda also criticized German companies, which he accused of pursuing their business interests regardless of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

"We hear that a large part of the German economy, which is very strong, wants to continue doing business," he said.

"My impression is - please excuse me, maybe some people in Germany will feel offended - that this part of the German economy doesn't give a damn what's going on in Ukraine, what's going on with Poland." Duda described the attitude of the companies he criticized like this: “We want to do business, make money.

We want to sell our products, we want to buy cheap gas and oil.”

Germany in the Ukraine war: Lauterbach in Ukraine – Minister of Health wants to meet with counterparts

Update from June 8, 9:17 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach is leaving for a trip to Ukraine on Thursday.

The SPD politician announced this on Wednesday at a doctors' network meeting organized by the "Rheinische Post" in Düsseldorf.

He will meet there with the Ukrainian Minister of Health.

Among other things, he is concerned with how injured people can be better cared for.

Lauterbach said he wanted to find out how people who had lost legs or arms in the war could be better equipped with prostheses.

It is also about injured children.

Lauterbach called the Russian war against Ukraine a "barbaric, devastating and unjust war of aggression".

He emphasized: "This is without civilization and must be condemned in every form."

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) from the Federal Cabinet had previously visited Kyiv.

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth was in Odessa recently.

Opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) have also been to Kyiv.

Scholz and Lambrecht receive NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg in Berlin

Update from June 8, 7:15 p.m.:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) receives NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Federal Chancellery on Thursday (12 p.m.).

The focus of the meeting is the preparation of the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June.

According to the German government, the effects of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine on Euro-Atlantic security will also be discussed.

A joint press statement is planned at the beginning of the meeting.

Ukraine demands heavy weapons from Germany - special envoy puts pressure on

Update vom 8. Juni, 15.30 Uhr: Die Ukraine fordert schwere Waffen von Deutschland. Der Sondergesandte für die EU-Perspektive der Ukraine, Oleksij Tschernyschow, macht Druck. „Wir sind dankbar für die Unterstützung Deutschlands“, sagte Tschernyschow am Mittwoch den Sendern RTL und ntv. „Aber in dieser Situation des Krieges kann man nur in Fakten sprechen. Und die Fakten sprechen für sich.“

„Wir brauchen dringend schwere Waffen“, sagte der ukrainische Minister für regionale Entwicklung, der Berlin besuchte. „Und wir erwarten, dass diese Waffen so schnell wie möglich geliefert werden.“ Die Bundesregierung hat nach langem Zögern die Lieferung einer Reihe schwerer Waffen zugesagt, darunter Gepard-Flugabwehrpanzer und die Panzerhaubitze 2000. Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) hatte vergangene Woche auch die Lieferung des Luftabwehrsystem Iris-T-SLM sowie eines modernen Ortungsradars angekündigt. Angekommen sind die Waffen bisher nicht.

Pikant: Das Portal Business Insider berichtet unter Berufung auf Regierungskreise, das Iris-T-System werde voraussichtlich erst im November oder Dezember einsatzbereit sein. Beim Mehrfachraketenwerfer Mars II gebe es derweil Softwareprobleme, deren Lösung schlimmstenfalls Monate dauern könne. Und beim Ringtausch mit Griechenland wolle Athen erst seine Sowjet-Panzer abgeben, wenn die zugesagten Marder-Panzer einsatzbereit geliefert seien. Dies könne sich bis Herbst oder Winter hinziehen.

Ukraine-Krieg/Deutschland: Scholz zögert bei Übergewinnsteuer

Update vom 8. Juni, 14.15 Uhr: Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) legt sich in der Frage einer Steuer auf übermäßige Unternehmensgewinne in Kriegs- und Krisenzeiten derzeit nicht fest. Grundsätzlich sei eine Übergewinnbesteuerung „auf der Grundlage des Koalitionsvertrags der Ampel-Koalition derzeit nicht vorgesehen“, sagte Vizeregierungssprecherin Christiane Hoffmann am Mittwoch in Berlin. „Gleichwohl werden alle wesentlichen Argumente und Gegenargumente zur Frage dieser sogenannten Übergewinnsteuer in der Bundesregierung erörtert.“

Bundeswirtschaftsminister Robert Habeck (Grüne) hatte in einem am Mittwoch ausgestrahlten RTL/ntv-Interview gesagt, er finde es richtig, „nicht jeden Gewinn zu akzeptieren“. Auch andere Grünen-Politiker sowie Vertreter der SPD hatten sich für eine Übergewinnsteuer ausgesprochen. Dagegen lehnt die FDP diese strikt ab.

Ukraine-Krieg: Scholz spricht mit Selenskyj über Getreideexport

Erstmeldung vom 8. Juni: Berlin - Kiew Calling. Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz hat mit dem ukrainischen Präsidenten Wolodymyr Selenskyj telefoniert. Inhalt des Gesprächs sei die weitere deutsche Unterstützung für die Ukraine gewesen, sagte Regierungssprecher Steffen Hebestreit.

So sei es etwa darum gegangen, wie Getreideexporte aus der Ukraine auf dem Seeweg ermöglicht werden könnten. Die russische Blockade ukrainischer Häfen hat zu einem Stopp dieser Exporte geführt, die zu steigenden Lebensmittelpreisen führt und die Ernährungskrise in vielen armen Ländern vor allem in Afrika verschärft.

Russland verhandelt wegen des Getreideexportes derzeit mit der Türkei. Außenminister Sergej Lawrow weilt seit Dienstagabend in Ankara. Die Türkei hat auf Bitten der Vereinten Nationen angeboten, trotz der teils auch nahe der türkischen Küste entdeckten Seeminen im Schwarzen Meer maritime Konvois aus ukrainischen Häfen zu eskortieren. Dafür könnte die Türkei eine finanzielle Gegenleistung oder billigeres Getreide bekommen. Der türkisch-russische Deal nimmt bereits Formen an. Scholz sagte laut Hebestreit, es müsse „alles getan werden, um den Getreideexport aus der Ukraine zu ermöglichen“.

Ukraine-Krieg: Scholz spricht mit Selenskyj über Putin-Telefonat

In addition to the grain situation, the Scholz-Zelenskyj phone call also dealt with a conversation between the Chancellor and French President Emmanuel Macron and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin two weeks ago.

Scholz informed Selenskyj about the content, the government spokesman said.

He did not give any more specific information.

Last week, Scholz also promised Ukraine the delivery of other heavy weapons: the Iris-T air defense system and four Mars II multiple rocket launchers.

So far, however, no heavy weapons from Germany have arrived in Ukraine.

According to the federal government, Scholz and Selenskyj would “remain in close contact” to that effect.