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Leopard 2 main battle tank (in the Bundeswehr depot in Karlsruhe): coveted goods
Photo: Marco Dorow / Bundeswehr
With their call for significantly more weapons for Ukraine, the three members of the Bundestag, Kristian Klinck (SPD), Sara Nanni (Die Grünen) and Alexander Müller (FDP), have reignited the debate about arms deliveries to the war zone - and triggered a controversy in the traffic lights.
In a guest article for SPIEGEL on Sunday, the three defense politicians advocated Germany supplying Ukraine with more military equipment – also at the expense of the Bundeswehr.
The armaments industry must be boosted in order to quickly close the gaps in the troop numbers, writes the traffic light trio.
“Under this condition, the capability profile of the Bundeswehr can and should temporarily take a back seat to the sustainability of Ukraine in the current critical situation.
Because Ukraine's survival is in Germany's security policy interest," the text says.
German leadership required
The contribution sparked resentment, especially in the ranks of the SPD.
“The authors start from the premise that the war will continue for a long time.
But you can't accept that," SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner told SPIEGEL.
"The war must be ended quickly - and that doesn't primarily require weapons, but diplomatic, humanitarian and economic initiatives," emphasized Stegner.
Germany must assume a leading role here – while it is better off “in team play” when it comes to arms deliveries.
Stegner also criticized the demand for a rapid increase in armaments production.
'The role of the armaments industry should be a very limited one.
There shouldn't be an arms race," emphasized the Social Democrat, who is also his parliamentary group's spokesman on disarmament policy.
According to reports, the irritation at the push of the trio in the SPD parliamentary group leadership was great.
The Social Democrat Klinck told SPIEGEL on Monday that he was "in constructive exchange" with the parliamentary group leadership.
Delivery makes a »real difference«
Klinck received encouragement from his parliamentary colleague Michael Roth.
He supports the call for a long-term plan for permanent military support for Ukraine, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag told SPIEGEL.
»The delivery of modern western weapons – also from Germany – makes a real difference,« says Roth.
Roth rejected the argument put forward in the Chancellery and the Ministry of Defense, according to which arms deliveries from Bundeswehr stocks should not be at the expense of one's own defense capability, and supported the argumentation of the guest article.
»The colleagues are absolutely right: Alliance and national defense as well as support for Ukraine are not contradictory.
On the contrary: Ukraine is currently fighting for our security and that of our NATO allies," emphasized the SPD politician.
Role of the arms industry disputed
In the ranks of the Greens, the call for continued arms aid for Ukraine is broadly shared.
But one point in the guest article also arouses skepticism among Greens: the role of the defense industry.
"The contribution of the deputies clearly shows that we can and must use more options for arms aid to Ukraine," foreign policy expert Max Lucks told SPIEGEL.
"But the armaments industry must not be allowed to believe that production capacities will remain as high as they are now and that Germany will become a paradise for them."
In the FDP, on the other hand, the appeal for more direct arms deliveries met with great applause.
Defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann told SPIEGEL that he was “just right”.
"The defense of the country and the alliance is beginning now and already in Ukraine," emphasized the chair of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag.
In the Chancellery and the Ministry of Defense, however, "not everyone understands that the material is needed now," says Strack-Zimmermann.
Chancellery: "Statements noted"
The Federal Chancellery again rejected the accusation of hesitant weapons aid.
A spokesman for Olaf Scholz (SPD) referred to statements by the Chancellor on Sunday that Germany was already supplying a large number of weapons - but it was also important that the war did not escalate.
"We have taken note of the statements from the parliamentary room," it said tight-lipped on Monday about the traffic light trio's advance.
The Ministry of Defense sees little scope for further deliveries from troop stocks.
“We went to the just acceptable limit when selling Bundeswehr stocks,” said a spokesman for Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD).
The Bundeswehr must not be further weakened.
The opposition reacted more positively than the government to the impulse of the traffic light defense politicians.
Union faction deputy Johann Wadephul (CDU) spoke to SPIEGEL of a "welcome statement".
At the same time he qualified: “Members of a government coalition are judged by what they implement in practical politics.
I'm skeptical.«
Approval from Kyiv
The concerns of the three traffic light politicians met with great approval in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba shared the link to the guest article via Twitter on Sunday evening.
The authors were "absolutely right" in calling for maximum military support for his country.
"A well-equipped Ukraine is the best long-term investment in Europe's security," Kuleba wrote.
Kuleba may soon have the opportunity to personally thank the parliamentarians for their initiative.
Green Party defense politician Nanni is planning a visit to Ukraine later this week.