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Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor:
»Dear Members of Parliament!
I am very pleased to be able to answer your questions here today, and I would like to take the opportunity to say something at the outset.
Shortly before I came here, I spoke to the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and discussed with him the current situation, but also what Germany is doing and will do.
Ladies and gentlemen!
If you look back at the worries and reports from last year, then you can certainly say: Most people thought that it probably wouldn't work if Germany stopped getting gas from Russia if we got oil and coal completely from other sources, that this is possible without a massive economic crisis,
without any supply shortages this winter and without all the challenges that come with it.
Some, some have already spoken about an autumn and winter and similar things that would then overtake our country and that we would have had to deal with.
The truth is: that didn't happen.
We're sitting here, it's warm and that's the case everywhere in Germany.
We have guaranteed the supply of energy, also through a completely, completely new Germany pace, with which we have built new infrastructure.
And we made sure that we also maintained the economic performance of our country and compensated for the high price increases for energy, for example, with corresponding support and relief packages worth billions.
So you can
So you can say with a commentator: The federal government has whistled off the economic crisis.
We are in a better position now.
The annual economic report presented today has once again shown this quite clearly.
And you can also say very clearly: We have also shown what we are made of.
And that's very important to me.
After all, it happened in a very short time that we took all the necessary measures from restarting coal-fired power plants, extending the use of nuclear power plants, filling the gas storage facilities and many export opportunities for gas, via Western European ports and then new terminals at the north German coasts.
To a certain extent, the first three have already seen the ships that can be used to import the gas.
And that is a good sign for Germany.
I would like to say at this point, I would like to say that the pace that we have shown here must be a pace that characterizes our entire country.
That we move forward with the appropriate speed wherever it is a question of winning the future.
For example, if we now, when we currently have to fight the crisis, see how quickly this can happen, that we do the same when it comes to expanding renewable energy, wind power on the high seas, on land, solar energy, and the power grids , when it comes to accompanying the transformation of industry so that we actually achieve what we set out to be the first CO2-neutral industrialized country in the world, to march forward as the world's fourth-largest economy and to show that it is possible and to give others the courage to
also to follow this path.
Above all, we have not forgotten cohesion and respect for the citizens and citizens with all the achievements that we have set in motion.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Ladies and gentlemen, the cause of the challenges we have had to face as far as our own economy is concerned is Russia's terrible imperialist war of aggression against Ukraine.
A terrible war in which the principles on which we had agreed for decades in Europe have been called into question.
The principles that contained this statement, for example: Boundaries must not be pushed by force, boundaries must not be pushed by force.
This is what Russia denounced.
This is the turning point that I have spoken about here in this Bundestag.
And that's why it's right that we, in close coordination with our international partners, support Ukraine financially, with humanitarian funds, but also with arms deliveries.
We did that in a break with decades of state practice in Germany.
And now you can say: In Europe it is us and Great Britain who are providing the most support with arms to Ukraine.
And if you calculate all the decisions we have already made, you can say: Germany will always be at the forefront when it comes to supporting Ukraine.
We are the country that is doing this with great energy and on a large scale.
In addition, we have decided that we will also supply heavy weapons, tanks, howitzers, multiple rocket launchers, as far as artillery is concerned.
We have provided the Flak Panzer Kipper and continue to do so.
A modern air defense system like Irisi T, where new missiles have just been delivered and we will also deliver other systems.
The Patriot system, as I recently decided with the government.
And these are all measures that help Ukraine to defend itself.
We made all these decisions in unison and in close cooperation with our allies.
That is why they are effective and why we were able to meet them.
That is the principle that this government has.
And we will continue to do so, as we did when we recently decided to supply armored personnel carriers together with the USA.
Bradley the USA and we with our Marder infantry fighting vehicle.
The French provided tanks at the same time.
You see close cooperation and coordination is the principle.
And it's right, because it really is a war in Europe.
Not far from here in Berlin, it's taking place against a big country like Ukraine.
And that's why in everything we do, we must always make it very clear that we are doing what is necessary and what is possible to support Ukraine.
But at the same time we prevent the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO.
And we will continue to observe this principle at all times.
There are no mathematical certainties for these things.
No one can tell you exactly where the right and wrong decisions are.
And that's why it was right and intentional that we worked our way forward bit by bit.
And we will continue to follow this principle in the future.
It is the only principle that guarantees security for Europe and Germany in such a dangerous matter.
And that now also applies to the most recent decision made by the federal government.
We will also provide Leopard Two main battle tanks to Ukraine.
This is the result of intensive consultation again with our.
That we didn't let ourselves drift, but that we rely on this close cooperation in such a matter and also continue it.
Oh!
Oh!
Our goal?
Yes.
Our goal is to quickly deploy two tank battalions together with our allies.
There are many countries that would like to deliver.
And we will coordinate that and involve them to make it happen step by step.
As I said, Germany will provide Leopard with two tanks, Leopard will provide two tanks that come from the stocks of the Bundeswehr.
And if the others do that, we will train the Ukrainian crews here in Germany.
We will provide training, logistics, ammunition and systems maintenance.
And as I said, enable the partner countries to deliver.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is the right principle.
These are very effective weapon systems.
And it is right that we never provide these weapon systems alone, but always in close cooperation.
A final word.
There are many citizens in this country who are worried, also in view of such a decision and given the dimensions that this weapon entails.
And that is why I would like to say to these citizens here and at this point: trust me, trust the federal government.
Because we act in an internationally coordinated manner, we will continue to ensure that this support is possible without the risks for our country growing in the wrong direction.
That's why we do this.
And that's how we will continue to do it.«
