Ukraine is still waiting: Scholz' tank plan is in danger of bursting - Slovakia rejects the deal
Created: 2022-06-21Updated: 2022-06-21 09:15
By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi
New problems with German arms deliveries.
Scholz' ring exchange falters.
Meanwhile, Baerbock is calling for concrete EU prospects for Ukraine.
News ticker.
Ring exchange with Slovakia threatens to burst
: Germany probably offers too little
Baerbock
on the EU debate on Ukraine
: The Foreign Minister is of the opinion that this "historic moment" with regard to Ukraine must be used despite the challenges.
Baerbock
wants majority decisions
: now it's about strengthening and defending the EU and European values.
This
news ticker on German reactions to the Russia-Ukraine war
is continuously updated.
Update from June 21, 9 a.m.:
German Leopard tanks for Slovakia, Slovakian T-72 main battle tanks for Ukraine.
This is what the ring exchange should look like, on which the federal government agreed two months ago.
But as is now known, there are again problems with German arms deliveries.
Germany apparently offers too few tanks, reports
Business Insider
.
Germany had proposed 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks for 30 T-72 tanks.
Slovakia finds this too little and rejected the deal.
A Defense Ministry spokeswoman told
Business Insider
: "Slovakia has 30 T-72 tanks.
Therefore 15 Leopard main battle tanks cannot be a solution for us as we need 30 main battle tanks for a tank battalion.”
According to the spokeswoman, negotiations are still ongoing, but it remains questionable whether and when there will be an agreement.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) had previously stated that the exchange of rings with NATO partners, who could give older Soviet-designed weapons to Ukraine and get replacements from Germany, was “on the right track”.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens): The Greens overtake the SPD in the polls.
© IMAGO/Stefan Boness/Ipon
Update from June 20, 8:45 p.m .:
The Ukrainian journalists Mstyslav Chernov and Evgeniy Maloletka have been awarded the Deutsche Welle (DW) Freedom Prize.
They received the "DW Freedom of Speech Award" for their reporting on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine on Monday in Bonn during an international media conference.
The Freedom Prize has existed since 2015. It honors people or initiatives for their outstanding promotion of human rights and freedom of expression.
AP journalist and author Chernov and freelance photojournalist Maloletka hail from eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine news from Germany: According to Scholz, Putin is aiming for the dissolution of NATO and the EU
Update from June 20, 7:12 p.m.:
“Putin is apparently afraid that the spark of democracy could fly to Russia,” writes Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Twitter.
That is why for years he has been pursuing a policy aimed at dissolving NATO and the EU.
He wants to go back to a policy of zones of influence.
"But he won't be able to do that," Scholz continued.
also read
Putin's "Hunger Plan" in Three Acts: Historian Declares Next "Stage of War" and Predicts Unrest
Territories Against Ukraine's EU Accession: A Deal With Putin?
Ukraine news from Germany: Real estate confiscated from Putin supporters for the first time
Update from June 20, 2:25 p.m .:
In a historic case in Munich, the real estate of a supporter of Putin’s Ukraine invasion was confiscated for the first time.
This is apparently a Duma deputy on the sanctions list.
Ukraine news from Germany: Söder wants a "real political" approach - EU debate on Ukraine
Update from June 20, 2:20 p.m .:
According to the Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU leader Markus Söder, the process of Ukraine’s possible accession to the European Union will drag on.
"It will be a long process," said Söder after a meeting of the party executive in Munich.
"We want to keep an eye on everything," said the CSU boss.
All the conditions would have to be met for such accession to be possible.
A holistic approach is necessary.
"Holistic means whether the European Union would be able to take such a picture at all at the moment - we are skeptical to a large extent, including Manfred Weber, whether this can succeed now," emphasized Söder.
The CSU European politician Manfred Weber is head of the European People's Party (EPP).
"Therefore: Don't rush things, but approach the whole thing in a real political way," recommended Söder.
Ukraine news from Germany: Debate about Ukraine in the EU - Baerbock wants to create perspective
First report from June 20:
Berlin/Munich - While the Ukraine conflict is raging through the country with all its severity, the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU is being debated at the political level.
Kyiv has long expressed a desire to become part of the European Union.
Although some countries were initially critical of Ukraine's accession to the EU, the tide is gradually turning.
This map shows where the Ukraine war is raging.
Most recently, the EU Commission spoke out in favor of officially appointing Ukraine as a candidate for accession to the European Union.
The corresponding decision could be made at the EU summit on June 23-24.
A few days before this potentially decisive summit, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has now advocated concrete EU accession prospects for Ukraine.
Ukraine-News: Baerbock on the EU debate on Ukraine - "must use historic moment"
"It is now important not to proceed according to scheme F, but to use this historic moment and make it clear to Ukraine with regard to its perspective: You belong in the middle of the European Union," said the Green politician, according to the German Press Agency on the fringes of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
The challenges and tasks for the accession process are "incredibly great", but nobody wants to look back in a few years and say: "How could we not use this course?".
Baerbock also supported the EU Commission's proposal to nominate Ukraine's small neighbor Moldova as an EU accession candidate.
"We have to see what situation Moldova is in these times," she said.
The government not only does everything to live European values in its own country, but also supports Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia.
Ukraine war: Zelenskyj addresses the world via video
View photo gallery
Ukraine-News: Baerbock wants majority decisions - "must strengthen the EU together"
With a view to possible EU expansion, Baerbock spoke out in favor of adapting decision-making processes in the community.
"It is now not just about putting more chairs in the European circle, but we have to strengthen the European Union together," said the Green politician.
In perspective, this means that majority decisions must also be reached in foreign and security policy so that in the years and decades to come we have the strength we need to defend European values.
(bb with dpa)