The Chancellor’s visit to the Bundeswehr Operations Command had been planned for a long time. Now it is taking place under the impression of the Ukraine war.
During his first visit to the troops as Chancellor, Olaf Scholz ruled out the possibility of the Bundeswehr taking part in the war in Ukraine in any way.
“We are not part of the military conflict that is taking place there and will not be,” said Scholz when visiting the Bundeswehr Operations Command in Schwielowsee near Potsdam. “It is perfectly clear to us that NATO and its member states are not taking part in the war.”
Scholz also emphasized that the federal government would continue to do everything for a ceasefire. “The images we are already seeing of the destruction are terrible enough and we don’t need many more,” he said. It is now very important “that we keep a cool head, that we are very clear and determined and remain cautious”.
Putin insists on fulfilling Russian demands
According to the Kremlin, in a phone call with Scholz, Vladimir Putin signaled a willingness to engage in dialogue – but at the same time insisted on the fulfillment of Russian demands. The Kremlin announced in Moscow that Russia was open to talks with the Ukrainian side and anyone who wanted peace in Ukraine. “On the condition that all Russian demands are met.”
In the communication, these conditions were listed again individually: Accordingly, it is about “demilitarization” and “denazification” as well as a neutral and non-nuclear status of Ukraine. Moscow is also demanding that Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014, be recognized as Russian territory and that the administrative borders of the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk should be sovereign.
The Federal Chancellor expressed concern about the fire on the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in the Ukraine, even though no radioactive radiation escaped there. “But it shows how dangerous the situation is. Wars always result in destruction, which perhaps neither of the warring parties really intends to do, but which can still have its terrible effects.”
Reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank
Germany and other NATO countries are supporting the Ukrainian armed forces with weapons. The federal government has already delivered 1,000 rocket-propelled grenades and 500 anti-aircraft weapons, and a further delivery is planned. However, the weapons are not sent directly into the country, but handed over outside the borders. This means that no NATO soldiers will enter Ukraine. US President Joe Biden has also ruled out soldiers being involved in the war.
However, NATO is strengthening its troops on the eastern flank. The Bundeswehr troops in Lithuania will be strengthened by 350 soldiers. Six German Eurofighters are currently stationed in Romania. “Patriot” anti-aircraft systems and soldiers are to be sent to Slovakia. These operations are controlled by the Operations Command.
Scholz is a conscientious objector
The Chancellor’s visit to the soldiers in Schwielowsee had been planned long before the start of the war. Scholz is himself a conscientious objector and completed his civilian service in Hamburg in the mid-1980s.
Scholz visited the “Forest of Remembrance” on the grounds of the Henning von Tresckow barracks, which was built for the 115 soldiers who died in action. 37 of them were killed in combat or in attacks – mainly in Afghanistan. A huge memorial stone, which was brought back to Germany from the former German headquarters in Mazar-i-Scharif towards the end of the Afghanistan mission, commemorates them.
100 billion program “a good sign”
As a consequence of the Ukraine crisis, Scholz announced a gigantic rearmament program for the Bundeswehr in the Bundestag last Sunday. 100 billion euros are to be made available via a special fund for investments in the equipment of the troops. Scholz also emphasized this step again during his first visit to the troops. “That’s a good sign and supports the professional work that has been guaranteed here for a very long time and that we want to continue to rely on in the future,” he said.
Source: Stern
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