Conflicts: Wallace accuses Scholz of weak leadership

Former British Defense Minister Ben Wallace has accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz of weak leadership with regard to the war in Ukraine. In addition, through poor communication, the SPD politician is blocking the view of the considerable support that Germany is providing for Ukraine, said the conservative dpa in London.

“He is the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Wallace repeated an earlier statement about Scholz. “He doesn’t understand deterrence, he doesn’t understand ambiguity,” he said. He added that Scholz doesn’t seem to understand that it helps Russian President Vladimir Putin to appear indecisive, waver on certain decisions, or give the impression that he doesn’t see eye to eye with his allies. Ultimately, it also depends on communication as to whether what Germany is doing for Ukraine is perceived.

Demand for Taurus delivery to Ukraine

Wallace, who was once considered a possible candidate to succeed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, also called for German Taurus cruise missiles to be delivered to Ukraine. Scholz had to decide whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war or not, said Wallace, referring to the Chancellor’s renewed no to a Taurus delivery.

The conservative politician, who was his country’s defense minister from 2019 to 2023, said that he understands the fear of escalation, but this is unfounded. Scholz was also wrong when he suggested that British and French soldiers were on site in Ukraine to program cruise missiles. “There is no need for British and French soldiers sitting in Ukraine programming cruise missiles,” emphasized Wallace.

Scholz strictly rejects supplying Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles. He fears that Germany could be drawn into the war if the missiles with a range of 500 kilometers were made available.

Freezing the conflict could benefit Russia

Wallace also warned against freezing the war in Ukraine. He was referring to statements by the SPD parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Rolf Mützenich. Wallace said he had to ask himself how the freezing of the conflict for the Ukrainians turned out last time. The country lost 18,000 soldiers between Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion two years ago.

“The problem with freezing is that you have to guarantee it,” Wallace said. “But we tried that, and the Ukrainians would say that Britain, America, Germany and France have not fulfilled that guarantee.” The Ukrainians could now demand NATO membership in return for a freeze, Wallace said. “They could say, ‘Give us membership in NATO. Let’s draw a line wherever that may be, but what’s left is NATO.”

When asked whether that might be a viable solution, Wallace declined to commit. “I don’t want to speculate what a deal might look like. Ukraine has to decide, they are the ones who lost thousands of people. And they are fighting for us now. We are not fighting.” Wallace believes that Germany, France and, last but not least, Russia would not agree to this.

Without sufficient security guarantees, a freeze in the conflict will only lead to Russia rearming, repositioning itself and attacking again, as happened after the annexation of Crimea, he warned.