Heavy weapons for Ukraine and billions for the better equipment of the German armed forces: the change of era proclaimed by Chancellor Scholz should take shape. Now it’s the Bundestag’s turn.
In the struggle over the course of the Ukraine war, the federal government and the opposition are reaching out to each other: the government factions of the traffic light coalition and the Union as the largest opposition faction want to pass a joint motion in the Bundestag this Thursday to support Ukraine with heavy weapons. Both sides had agreed on this, the German Press Agency and the AFP news agency learned on Wednesday.
The Union faction wants to join the application submitted by the traffic light and withdraw its own – more extensive – application after changes to the paper of the traffic light have been achieved. The Union faction leadership had previously mentioned decoupling from the planned 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr as a condition for their approval of a joint application. According to information from Union circles, the planned special fund should now be mentioned neutrally.
Baerbock justified hesitation in tank deliveries
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock defended the German government’s decision to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine – also against the background of warnings of an imminent nuclear escalation. What steps Russia still takes in the war is entirely at the discretion of President Vladimir Putin, said the Greens politician on Wednesday in the Bundestag in Berlin when asked what role the risk of nuclear war played in the decision. Baerbock added: “That’s why we can’t completely rule out anything.”
Nevertheless, the decision was the right step, because otherwise Ukraine would have had to say: “You fight alone. And we don’t want to do that. We stand in solidarity with Ukraine,” said Baerbock. The federal government has “a responsibility to always make the risks clear and not to stir up panic on the other side,” said Baerbock.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) announced on Tuesday the delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft tanks from industrial stocks and the training of Ukrainian soldiers on German soil.
The planned delivery of the anti-aircraft tank must also be supplemented with a larger amount of ammunition. Talks are underway with Brazil, which received ammunition for the weapon system from Germany in previous years, as the German Press Agency in Berlin learned on Wednesday. According to this, up to 300,000 shots could be procured in this way for the use of up to 50 Cheetah tanks. Ammunition for the weapon system is still available from German production and from Switzerland, which initially did not allow exports to Ukraine.
Agreement on the special fund apparently tangible
Positive signals were reported from talks between the traffic light coalition partners and the Union about a planned amendment to the Basic Law for the special fund, with which 100 billion euros are to be made available for weapon systems and equipment for the Bundeswehr. An agreement was not initially confirmed to the DPA from the Union.
The introduction of the special fund is to be ensured through an amendment to the Basic Law. The traffic light coalition also needs the Union for the necessary two-thirds majority in the Bundestag. Scholz had announced the rearmament of the Bundeswehr at the end of February as a consequence of the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The parliamentary secretary of the Green Group, Irene Mihalic, said on Wednesday that she expects the Union to now also fulfill the “state-supporting role” it claims for itself. Union politicians had recently insisted that the special fund should only be used to better equip the Bundeswehr. However, it is not only among the Greens that there is a demand for a broader understanding of defense. That would then also include spending on civil defense and cyber security, for example.
Source: Stern
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