As of: February 27, 2024, 11:02 a.m
By: Lisa Mahnke
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Chancellor Scholz stands by his no to Taurus deliveries.
His statement fuels the debate.
The criticism comes from many sides.
Berlin - Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) justification for his rejection of Taurus deliveries to Ukraine is once again heating up the debate about cruise missiles.
The risk of Germany becoming involved in the Ukraine war was a key reason for his no: “German soldiers must not be linked at any point or place to the goals that this system achieves.
Not even in Germany,” said Scholz.
The Chancellor sees the use of Taurus cruise missiles only possible with the participation of German personnel.
He had already rejected Ukraine's request for Taurus missiles in October, but his public justification was short on detail.
Examples from other countries where programmed weapons are used for aid to Ukraine are also not applicable to Germany: “What other countries do, which have different traditions and different constitutional institutions, is something that we certainly do not do in the same way can."
Strack-Zimmermann points out double standards: Missiles already programmed in Ukraine
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) told the television channel
Welt
that Scholz was wrong in his claim that Bundeswehr soldiers had to prepare weapons in the Ukraine war.
“In this case, the programming can take place in Germany, or the Ukrainian soldiers must be taught it here,” said the FDP politician.
She also pushed back against fears that weapons could be reprogrammed to targets in Russia.
Strack-Zimmermann stated that there were already programmed German-made weapons in the Ukraine war, which, according to the argument, also had to be brought back.
Shortly before the first debate about Taurus deliveries arose, Ukrainian missiles had struck the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Russia.
At the same time, however, the Chancellor came under increasing pressure after France and Great Britain had already delivered similar cruise missiles and Joe Biden had shown willingness to deliver ATACMS missiles.
According to the German Press Agency,
rumors that British soldiers were stationed in Ukraine for programming were
never confirmed.
“Wrong and politically infamous”: According to critics, Germany is not a party to the war through Taurus missiles
Given that Annalena Baerbock (Greens) was followed and threatened by a Russian drone during a visit to Ukraine, Strack-Zimmermann appeared irritated by the Chancellor's statement: It was “highly problematic... that just two days later Chancellor of the Federal Republic then rules out using this system – that is quite remarkable.”
The FDP politician was the only traffic light MP to approve the CDU/CSU's proposal, which included Taurus missiles and a mix of foreign policy demands.
“Nobody who demands Taurus for Ukraine wants Germany to become a war party,” said the Green Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt to the
Editorial Network Germany
(
RND
).
“It is essential for peace in Europe and beyond that Ukraine wins this defensive battle,” said Göring-Eckardt.
The greatest threat to Germany's security would be if Russian President Vladimir Putin retained the upper hand and continued his imperialist campaign.
The CDU politician Norbert Röttgen wrote on regarding the turning point of “finally implementing analyses”.
Unfortunately, parts of the government would continue to slow down, said Merz.
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SPD shows solidarity with Scholz's Taurus no - the left calls for diplomacy
The SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich expressed his solidarity with the Chancellor's demands and called on the FDP and the Greens to the magazine Stern to end the coalition dispute: “Some in the coalition are not thinking about the end.
We live in difficult times, many things are unstable.
The fact that some people now think that they have to look for personal gains in territory does no one any good.
Everyone has to pull themselves together now.”
At solidarity demonstrations, isolated posters repeatedly demand Taurus delivery.
© picture alliance/dpa |
Andreas Arnold
Mützenich wants to give the Chancellor room to make decisions, although “some in the coalition are trying to narrow this space,” said the parliamentary group leader.
The SPD Bundestag member Ralf Stegner from the left wing of the party defended Scholz's position before the
RND
: "According to surveys, this view also prevails among the majority of the population."
According to a press release from the Bundestag, Gregor Gysi (The Left) called the Union's motion, which was submitted under the title “For a real turnaround in German foreign and security policy,” “a turnaround towards massive rearmament.”
Gysi advocated diplomatic solutions and a new peace order in Europe.
“Do you want to reach a situation in which there are no longer any resources available for social equalization?” asked the left-wing politician.
(lismah)