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The SPD in the Bundestag is sticking to diplomatic initiatives to end Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
"Because we know that wars are not usually ended on the battlefield," says a draft for a position paper by the largest government faction, which is to be decided at the annual meeting beginning this Thursday.
"Even if, for understandable reasons, there is no longer any trust in the current Russian leadership, diplomatic talks must remain possible." That is why the telephone calls between Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Russian President Vladimir Putin are right and necessary.
Wherever possible, diplomatic initiatives should be taken, according to the paper in the version from Wednesday evening (6 p.m.), which is available to the dpa news agency.
"We must continue to make every attempt to persuade Russia to withdraw and demand an honest willingness to conclude a just peace agreement with Russia."
The nine-page draft of the paper, entitled "Social Democratic International Policy at a Turning Point," points out that negotiation successes with Russia could be achieved in "small sub-areas," for example the prisoner exchange or grain exports across the Black Sea.
It is important to build on these approaches, for example in the area of arms control.
Ukraine sees no point in negotiations during occupation
The Ukrainian government is skeptical about diplomatic initiatives.
She sees no point in negotiations with Russia until all troops are withdrawn from her territory - including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed back in 2014.
Western allies are urging Ukraine to supply weapons of a new quality.
The focus is currently on Western-style main battle tanks such as the German Leopard 2. The paper does not go into this debate.
It is only pointed out that Germany has already supplied Ukraine with equipment and weapons "on a large scale".
In the long term, the authors of the paper can also imagine confidence-building measures with the country if Russia turns around in the war.
Before that, however, there must be "a fundamental rejection of Russia's criminal war of aggression against Ukraine and the expansionist ideology behind it," according to the draft.
»If there is a serious willingness to do this, a policy of small steps, which starts trust-building initiatives in manageable areas and is regularly checked for their effectiveness, could be a diplomatic approach.«
SPD wants to change attitude to foreign and security policy
The SPD's Russia policy before the Ukraine war had been sharply criticized in recent months.
The SPD's election program for 2021 still contains the sentence: "Peace in Europe cannot exist against, but only with, Russia." Now the party wants to redefine its position.
At the party conference at the end of 2023, a new foreign and security policy concept is to be adopted, for which the International Politics Commission is currently working on proposals.
They should be available by the end of the month.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil admitted in October that his party had misjudged several of its Russia policies in recent decades.
In a keynote speech, he advocated a fundamental rethink.
"Today it's about organizing security against Russia," said the party leader.
“Russia has left the system of common security and the common system of values.
Our security must function without Russia.«
Melnyk: "Wars are almost always decided on the battlefield"
In the draft for the group's position paper, the tone is different.
It does say that Russia is acting as an aggressor that must be countered with consistent deterrence.
However, Russia will continue to be a country with a significant area, population and military strength on the European continent.
»This will be relevant for the design of the European security architecture in the long term.«
The parliamentary group says the draft position paper has been agreed with the party leadership.
A first reaction came from Kyiv on Wednesday evening.
The Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk contradicted the assessment that wars are usually not decided on the battlefield.
“Wars are almost always decided on the battlefield.
Germany should know better," wrote the former ambassador in Berlin on Twitter.
The SPD parliamentary group wants to decide on the position paper on Friday.
col/dpa
