Melnyk thanks Scholz at "Maischberger" – and calls for weapons "to survive"

Created: 06/17/2022, 13:05

Andrij Melnyk and Roderich Kiesewetter guest at Maybrit Illner © Svea Pietschmann / ZDF

Scholz, Macron and Draghi traveled to Kyiv.

Only warm words for Zelenskyj or real help?

Melnyk demands weapons, Stegner a diplomatic solution. 

Berlin - "Now he was finally here," says Maybrit Illner in the moderation of her show.

After weeks of public discussion, Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Ukraine.

But not alone.

A meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy took place together with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

The opinionated Andrij Melnyk is "partly satisfied" with the visit: "The words we heard in Kyiv give us some hope that the decision of the EU Council in the coming week will be positive." Melnyk is now more confident that the necessary unanimity of the 27 member states for Ukraine's admission to the EU can be achieved.

Olaf Scholz not only held out the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU, but also promised arms deliveries.

Ralf Stegner (SPD) has a hard time with the German arms deliveries, "if you limit it to that".

Political, humanitarian and economic aid is also important.

Selenskyi said that he was very satisfied with the outcome of the talks.

"What more could you ask for?" Stegner asks rhetorically.

CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter speaks of a "very strong sign" that the three Central European founding members of the European community are presenting themselves together in Ukraine.

However, he has a differentiated view.

Macron made it clear that Ukraine must win and arms deliveries must be made quickly.

Germany, on the other hand, is the country that “announces a lot and does little”.

"Maybrit Illner" - these guests discussed with:

• Ralf Stegner (SPD)

  -

  MdB, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee

• Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU) -

  MdB, Colonel a.

  D. the Bundeswehr

• Andriy Melnyk –

  Ambassador of Ukraine in Germany

• Katja Gloger –

  journalist, author

• Anne Gellinek –

  head of the ZDF studios in Brussels, switched on

"The distrust in Ukraine towards the old Europe has been reduced," says Anne Gellinek, head of the ZDF studio in Brussels, speaking in this context of a "liberation strike".

A strong signal was the declaration that Ukraine should receive the status of a candidate country.

But this is not a sure-fire success.

"The great weakness of the EU, as Putin also knows, is unanimity."

SPD defense politician Stegner: Wars never end militarily, but politically

Melnyk also sees a strong message in the European perspective for Ukraine: "That's important and we're grateful for that." But that's not enough.

"We have to survive now," emphasizes Melnyk, "and for that we need weapons."

Kiesewetter would like to have clearer words from Scholz in relation to this.

Germany is the country that has the most stocks of armored personnel carriers and battle tanks.

"The others have long since exported theirs," says Kieswetter.

The industry could have delivered 100 "Panzerhaubitzen 2000", more than 30 "Marder" and more than "30 Leopard", "but the Chancellery did not grant the approval, although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economics have lifted their concerns".

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US intelligence sees a turning point in the Ukraine war: the West is still faced with the weapons dilemma

In view of the pending arms deliveries, Maybrit Illner would like to know from Ralf Stegner whether Germany has really done everything for Ukraine.

He considers the "narrowing down to the military question to be wrong".

Because: "Wars never end militarily, but politically." However, nothing can be decided over the heads of the Ukrainian people.

"Ukraine is an independent state and decides for itself what is done and what is not."

Illner von Melnyk wants to know whether Germany is to blame if Ukraine falls.

But the ambassador avoids a direct answer.

Rather, he uses his answer for a moral demand: "We give Germany the chance to do more." He agrees with Stegner on his points.

However, Melnyk makes it clear: "To this day, not a single heavy weapon from Germany is in use in Ukraine."

Melnyk also sees the need for a diplomatic solution, but counters: "If Putin doesn't realize that he's not making any more land gains militarily, he won't stop." In Germany, too, the feeling is created that Russia is invincible.

That is why there is uncertainty as to whether one should help or not rather push for a quick peace.

Melnyk then becomes clear: "But that's wrong!

We must not be intimidated, not even by nuclear weapons.”

Ambassador Melnyk: training on weapons with Youtube videos

For the journalist Katja Gloger, however, the feeling of Russian superiority is not deceptive: "The greatest respect for the will of the Ukrainian people to defend themselves, on the other hand it seems that at the moment the military situation in Donbass is developing in Russia's favor, but also in large parts of the south.” Illner then sheds light on an interesting side aspect when she asks Melnyk how Ukrainian soldiers are trained to use modern weapons.

"We learn quickly," says Melnyk, "also with YouTube videos, we had that experience at the beginning of the war."

As Illner explains, US President Joe Biden recently warned that missiles would land on Russian soil.

"It's not necessarily about western know-how getting into Russian hands," explains Anne Gellinek, "it's about the fear of a further escalation of the conflict."

Gloger calls Putin a “strategic player”: “He thinks in other time frames.

In his perception, he is on a historic mission against the West, which he absolutely wants to win.

He will do everything to hit the West at its weakest points." These are "our economic well-being, our disunity and our democratic procedures".

Conclusion of the "Maybrit Illner" talk

Scholz's visit to Kyiv is appreciated by the entire Maybrit-Illner group.

This also applies to the declaration that Ukraine should become a candidate for EU membership.

Different views are being brought to light regarding arms shipments from Germany to Ukraine.

In the discussion about conflict resolution, worlds sometimes collide.

Stegner sees the need for a diplomatic solution, but Melnyk initially demands weapons "to survive".