Tanks for Ukraine?
Head of the Chancellery in sharp criticism - "Fatal historical ignorance"
Created: 10/14/2022 10:57 p.m
By: Michelle Brey
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt at a cabinet meeting (archive photo).
© IMAGO/Stefan Boness/Ipon
The war in Ukraine is raging.
The country needs weapons to defend itself.
Chancellor Schmidt faces a lot of criticism.
The news ticker.
German battle tanks
for
Ukraine
?: Chancellor Schmidt speaks of the “V2 syndrome” and is sharply criticized for it by the Union.
This
news ticker on the diplomatic developments in the Ukraine war
is constantly updated.
Berlin — Ukraine's counter-offensive has recently achieved success.
At the same time, Russia attacked several Ukrainian cities with rockets.
With Iris-T, Germany then delivered an air defense system of great benefit.
Nevertheless, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's troops are still dependent on arms supplies.
In Germany, however, the head of the chancellery, Wolfgang Schmidt, has come under sharp criticism from the Union.
The background is statements as to why Germany is not supplying battle tanks to Ukraine.
German main battle tanks for Ukraine?
- Chancellor Schmidt speaks of "V2 syndrome"
"These are very frightening statements that hopefully cannot be the official position of the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Germany because they show frightening ignorance," said the CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter the Berliner
Tagesspiegel
(Saturday).
Johann Wadephul (CDU) spoke of a "disturbing appearance" by the head of the Chancellery.
At a discussion event held in English in Berlin on Thursday, Schmidt defended the government's position that it would not supply the Ukraine with battle tanks to defend itself against Russia.
Among other things, the SPD politician compared the calls for German Leopard 2 tanks with hopes that were placed in Nazi Germany in the V2 rocket, which propaganda described as the “miracle weapon”.
"Sometimes I'm tempted to call it the V2 syndrome of the Germans," said Schmidt - that there is a miracle weapon that, like magic, ensures that things get done.
“And now the Leopard 2 (...) is that miracle weapon that will end the war.
And he won't."
Arms deliveries for Ukraine: Union with sharp criticism of the head of the chancellery
Schmidt also warned that if a battle tank bearing the German Iron Cross was captured, it would be "perfect propaganda material" for Russia to say it was under NATO attack.
Kiesewetter replied: "All combat vehicles and weapon systems that are supplied do not bear the national insignia of the supplying countries, but rather the national insignia of Ukraine.
The Iron Cross is reserved for Bundeswehr vehicles in mandated missions and domestically.” Wadephul also told the
Tagesspiegel
that the Gepard anti-aircraft tanks already delivered by Germany could also be captured.
The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope
View photo gallery
also read
Ukraine plays football despite war: "We have to show the enemy that we are unbreakable"
Russia's partial mobilization: Ukraine President Zelenskyj sees Putin's soldiers above all as "cannon fodder"
"Merkel would have recalled him": Criticism from the Union against Schmidt
Furthermore, the use of the term V-weapons, i.e. revenge weapons, testifies to "a fatal historical ignorance," said Kiesewetter.
“Hitler’s Nazi regime used the V2 as a terror weapon against civilian targets in major cities such as London or Antwerp.” Leopard tanks, on the other hand, could be used lawfully and legitimately as a joint European initiative “against Russian aggression, which violates international law, on primarily civilian targets in the Ukraine ", said Kiesewetter, referring to a suggestion by the SPD foreign politician Michael Roth.
In addition, all experts would say that main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles would militarily strengthen Ukraine in the war in order to restore its territorial integrity.
“Schmidt not only confuses cause and effect, but also plays down Russia's terrible war against the Ukrainian civilian population and discredits Germany's reputation.
Chancellor Merkel would have dismissed a chancellery minister with such statements."
(mbr with dpa)
