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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD)
Photo: VALENTYN OGIRENKO / REUTERS
After Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) visited Kyiv, the Union in the Bundestag expressed disappointment at the lack of concrete delivery commitments for heavy weapons.
During the visit, it would have been “high time to finally give a clear commitment to the immediate delivery of heavy weapons,” said Union parliamentary group vice-president Johann Wadephul (CDU) of the “Welt”.
"Only Olaf Scholz's commitment to immediate EU accession candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova is a good signal."
The co-chair of the Greens parliamentary group, Britta Hasselmann, described the support for candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova as “exactly the right decision at the right time”.
She now hopes "that the EU Commission and the other EU members of Ukraine and Moldova will give their approval for a European perspective," she told the "Rheinische Post" and the "Generalanzeiger".
Scholz "characterized Ukraine as part of the European family, which, like the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova, should have a perspective in the EU," said SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich.
"With all the prerequisites for a common future, this statement should not be underestimated in its historical significance."
Criticism came from the Left Party: "The debate about Ukraine's accession to the EU is a sham debate," said parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
“It is clear to everyone involved that the prerequisite for an accession process, in addition to domestic political reforms, is a prior and lasting peace process.” Scholz should therefore have insisted during the visit “that diplomacy needs a fresh start”.
till/AFP
