As of: March 28, 2024, 5:09 p.m
By: Momir Takac
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The SPD is receiving criticism from within its own ranks for the lack of unity in dealing with Putin and the Ukraine war. A comrade downplays the anger.
Berlin – There is no consensus within the traffic light coalition about how to proceed in the Ukraine war. Because the different positions and views have recently become particularly evident among the Social Democrats, five Social Democratic scientists led by the historian Heinrich August Winkler sharply criticized the party leadership and the Chancellor in an incendiary letter. Now a comrade has defended his party's Ukraine course.
SPD defense politician Schwarz about Putin: “He wants the right of the stronger”
Olaf Scholz's insistence on saying no to the delivery of “Taurus” cruise missiles annoys his coalition partners, the Greens and the FDP. Party leader Rolf Mützenich even caused heads to shake within the SPD's own SPD with his proposal to freeze the war in Ukraine. Too much for the scientists. In their incendiary letter, which was first reported by
Focus
magazine , they called on the party executive to clarify its position on issues such as arms deliveries to Kiev and to appear clearly in public.
Are criticized within the SPD for statements and positions in the Ukraine war: Chancellor Scholz (l.) and parliamentary group leader Mützenich. © IMAGO / Political Moments
SPD defense politician Andreas Schwarz, who cannot see any gap in his party, has now commented on this. “A democracy, a party must also be able to tolerate the fact that there are different opinions on a really very complex question,” said Schwarz on Thursday (March 28) on
Deutschlandfunk
. Some in the SPD are “still too gullible because we have simply been spoiled by the peace dividend since 1989,” he continued. After the paradigm shift in arms deliveries to war zones that took place in 2022, some also needed “a little more time to get used to the new realities in the world”.
Schwarz understands criticism in fire letter, but defends Mützenich for “freezing war” statement
Schwarz can understand the scientists' criticism that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin could see the disagreement as "encouragement." “What Putin understands is strength and toughness,” he said on
Deutschlandfunk
. “He wants the law of the strongest, while we rely on the strength of the law.” We have to show Russia again and again - also in cooperation with European partners - that “we agree on this and we also have closed communication.”
Schwarz interpreted Mützenich's statement about “freezing” the war in Ukraine, which the scientists criticized as “particularly fatal,” differently. “The point for him is simply that, in his view, too much military and little diplomacy plays a role in the current discussion,” explained the defense politician. However, the group leader said that he currently sees no time window for negotiations.
(mt)