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Olaf Scholz: Majority supports Chancellor's trip to Kyiv

2022-06-15T16:40:07.088Z


According to a SPIEGEL survey, 54 percent of Germans have a positive view of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's planned visit to Ukraine. But there are notable differences between West and East.


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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD)

Photo: TOBIAS SCHWARZ / AFP

Almost four months after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is to travel to Kyiv with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

A majority of Germans think the planned visit is the right one, according to a representative survey by the opinion research institute Civey for SPIEGEL.

Accordingly, 54 percent are in favor of the chancellor wanting to go to Ukraine.

Only 28 percent said they thought this was the wrong way to go.

18 percent are undecided.

The planned visit is particularly well received by supporters of the Greens.

Here, 81 percent of those surveyed are in favor of Scholz flying to Ukraine.

The SPD supporters are 69 percent.

You can read more about the Civey methodology here.

The differences between East and West Germany are remarkable.

According to the survey, East Germans in particular are relatively skeptical about the trip.

42 percent abort the visit, in the west the figure is 23 percent.

Many expectations are linked to the Chancellor's trip - within the traffic light coalition, but also outside.

Scholz announced that he would “only travel to Ukraine if he could bring a specific offer with him,” said Green politician Anton Hofreiter.

“I assume that he will keep his promise.” Hofreiter also told the “Rheinische Post” that it would be gratifying “if Ukraine were granted EU candidate status as soon as possible”.

That would be an important signal to Ukraine, but also a clear sign to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the EU and Europe are on Ukraine's side, said the chairman of the Bundestag European Committee.

The CDU also demanded from Scholz a clear commitment to EU accession status for Ukraine.

The EU summit on June 23rd and 24th will make a decision on this, said CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja.

It is good that Scholz is finally traveling to Kyiv.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj had recently demanded a clearer positioning of the Chancellor.

“We need Chancellor Scholz to assure us that Germany will support Ukraine.

He and his government have to make a decision," said Selenskyj on ZDF.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, made two demands on Scholz.

"Firstly, we want the German head of government to promise, without any ifs or buts, that he will be granted candidate status for EU membership and to ensure that the European Council unanimously makes this historic decision next week," said Melnyk Broadcaster RTL/ntv.

In addition, Ukraine expects that when it comes to heavy weapons, Scholz “will massively support Ukraine with all available resources from the Bundeswehr stocks and the armaments industry,” said Melnyk.

till/AFP

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-06-15

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