Arms deliveries to Kyiv: The Chancellor's red line

Created: 06/01/2023 20:56

By: Christian Deutschländer

Marder infantry fighting vehicle in maneuvers.

A comment by Christian Deutschländer, head of the political department at the Munich Merkur.

© Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Klaus Haag

The Patriot and Marder delivery to Ukraine is a step in the right direction.

However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz should keep certain red lines in mind when supporting Ukraine.

A comment by Christian Deutschländer.

In the first weeks of the war, the German government gave itself the timid image of putting the brakes on arms aid for Ukraine.

As Minister of Defense Lambrecht – why is she still in office?

– offered a pair of helmets to Ukraine.

And when the government obviously had no idea whether the barracks and the remaining armaments industry were full of high-tech equipment or junk.

Later, however, Berlin developed into a stable, massive supporter of the attacked country.

At the military level - this is one of several - for example with highly effective missile defense.

Now German defensive weapons are saving countless lives in Ukraine every day.

Germany hasn't been a slacker for months, and that's a good thing.

No mistake that Scholz is waiting for the agreement with the USA and France

The Patriot and Marder deliveries now fit into this series.

A step in the right direction.

Chancellor Scholz may be accused of delivering too late, of allowing weeks to pass before the pressure in his own coalition became too great.

But it is not wrong that he is waiting for the agreement with the USA and France.

And that it takes an intermediate step towards the large Leopard 2 main battle tank.

The brave Ukrainians are currently defending Europe's borders, our freedom, our values ​​against the aggressor Putin.

Without our device they would be lost.

But there are red lines to prevent a dramatic escalation: Western weapons must never be used on Russian soil.

And it is foreseeable that our interests and those of Ukraine may diverge when it comes to the end of the war – keyword Crimea.

Scholz has certainly not been doing everything right since February 2022. But he is acting wisely and in accordance with the concerns of his citizens if he keeps a close eye on these red lines.

Christian Deutschlaender