Talk to Putin?

SPD paper gets Scholz in trouble – Melnyk reacts in horror

Created: 01/12/2023 11:54 am

By: Stephanie Munk

Chancellor Scholz in a quandary: While the pressure to supply battle tanks to Ukraine is increasing, the tongue-lashing of an SPD position paper is completely different.

Berlin/Warsaw/Kyiv – No sooner had Germany decided to deliver 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to the Ukraine than Chancellor Olaf Scholz came under pressure again.

From two directions: On the one hand, the calls for Leopard 2 main battle tanks for Ukraine are getting louder.

On the other hand, parts of his SPD are calling for talks with Russia.

Main battle tanks are significantly more heavily armed and more powerful than armored personnel carriers, so far Germany has categorically refused to supply them during the Ukraine war.

An initiative by Poland to give Ukraine Leopard tanks to defend against Russia may now require Germany to rethink it, because as the country producing these tanks, it has to agree to the delivery.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a visit to the Bundeswehr in the Lüneburg Heath, in the background a Leopard 2 tank can be seen.

© Sven Eckelkamp/Imago

Leopard 2 to Ukraine?

A lot depends on Scholz's decision

In any case, Poland does not want to send the tanks on its own initiative, but as part of an international coalition in which other allies should also contribute battle tanks.

The catch: A refusal by the Federal Chancellor would not only have consequences for German Leopard deliveries to Ukraine.

Since they are produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Germany must issue an export license under the War Weapons Control Act.

This means that no country in the world can deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine without approval from Scholz and the Federal Security Council.

interview

what advantages these tanks would bring to Ukraine in defense against Russia .

The Leopard 2 tank is considered one of the most modern main battle tanks in the world.

© AFP

Scholz on arms deliveries to Ukraine: He will maintain a moderate stance

The federal government has so far kept open whether Scholz will change his position on Leopard deliveries.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Monday (January 9) that the federal government "has no intention at this point in time to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine".

At a campaign event that same evening, Scholz said he would maintain his moderate position on arms sales.

Scholz literally: "Everyone can rely on the fact that not the public excitement, but what is right in the matter and is good for Ukraine and peace in Europe, that we do it." General Ben Hodges, meanwhile, demanded even more far-reaching supplies.

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A position paper by the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag will probably make the decision even more difficult for Scholz.

Because: It follows a completely different line.

The draft of the paper, which the SPD could decide on Friday (January 13) at their annual meeting, talks about talks with Russia instead of heavier weapons for Ukraine.

"Wars are not ended on the battlefield": SPD position paper calls for diplomacy

In order to achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia, the communication channel between Scholz and Russia's President Putin must remain open, the document states, among other things.

"Because we know that wars are usually not ended on the battlefield."

The paper, entitled "Social Democratic International Policy at a Turning Point" points out that negotiating successes with Putin have already been achieved in "small sub-areas", for example in the prisoner exchange or grain exports.

It is important to build on these approaches.

"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 draft reads.

Even if there is no longer any trust in the current Russian leadership, diplomacy should remain possible.

From the SPD parliamentary group it is said that the draft for the position paper has been coordinated with the party leadership.

The issue of weapons is not addressed in it.

SPD position paper on diplomacy with Putin: Ukraine reacts with horror

The Ukrainian government reacted with horror to the SPD position paper: The Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister and former Ambassador to Germany, 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,” he wrote on Twitter.

Green politicians appeal: Scholz should give up resistance to Leopard delivery

Different tones than those in the SPD paper come from Scholz' coalition partners: namely the call for more weapons for Ukraine in order to decide the war on the battlefield.

on Thursday

to finally give up his resistance to Leopard deliveries: "Chancellor Scholz is now responsible for coordinating the delivery of the battle tanks with the other Western heads of state and government," he said.

Green politician Robin Wagener, chairwoman of the German-Ukrainian parliamentary group in the Bundestag, also called on Scholz to follow Poland and enable deliveries of Leopard-2 to Ukraine.

This is "an important signal of solidarity".

There have also been appeals from the coalition partner FDP and the opposition Union to let Ukraine have the Leopard battle tank.

Poland's advance "increases the pressure on Germany to finally rethink here," said the CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter the

.

In the event of further delays, Germany would have to “put up with the accusation of failure to provide assistance”.

Ramstein conference on Ukraine weapons: It has already caused Scholz to change his mind

Whether Scholz agrees to the Leopard delivery - despite possible contrary positions from the SPD - will probably be seen next week at the latest: On January 20, the so-called Ramstein Group will meet, in which the western states, led by the USA, will coordinate their weapons aid.

As early as the spring, the conference brought about a change of heart in Scholz: Germany gave up its opposition to the delivery of heavy weapons at the time.