Ukraine War: Trump-Klat puts pressure on German politics

The escalation between the USA and Ukraine puts German politics under increased pressure in the transition period after the Bundestag election. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) called for a quick European and national action in Berlin. “We cannot wait until the formation of a new federal government, because the situation is serious.” Accompanying the explorations of the Union and the SPD via a coalition, steps take a look to mobilize additional billions for defense.

Baerbock warned: “Germany has to take leadership on this historical path.” In the weeks of the transition, all democratic parties and a “closest vote” between the acting and future federal government are now in demand for this. After a first conversation on Friday, the CDU, CSU and SPD announced that the exploratory round should meet again after the Hamburg election on Sunday next week.

“New Time of Refloration”

Baerbock said again in horror that US President Donald Trump had covered Ukrainian head of state Wolodymyr Selenskyj in the White House in front of running cameras with severe allegations. “A new time of neforence has started,” said the minister and warned that nobody should be wrong in the enemy. “He sits alone in the Kremlin, not in Kiev or Brussels. We can never accept a perpetrator-victim reversal.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had already emphasized shortly after the scandal: “Ukraine can rely on Germany and Europe.” Scholz and CDU boss Friedrich Merz called together on Friday evening how the German press agency in Berlin was confirmed. First, the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported about it. Scholz will take part in a Ukraine conference in London this Sunday, and a special EU summit follows on Thursday.

Union faction vice Johann WadePhul told the “Tagesspiegel”: “Friedrich Merz is in contact with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, I with his security advisor Jens Plötner to coordinate the lines at their meetings in London and Brussels.”

“Fast a strong government”

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called up a rapid coalition formation in view of the scandal. The scene in the White House let him breathe. “I would never have believed that we would have to protect Ukraine from the USA,” he told the German Press Agency. “We have to prevent Ukraine from accepting a submission. That is why our country now needs a strong government.”

Among other things, Baerbock campaigned for a fundamental reform of the debt brake. A new special fund that is currently being discussed is the worse variant. “It does not help Ukraine and we cannot use it for all areas that are important for our defense.” This affects measures against threats in the cyber space.

Greens, SPD and Union for speed

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) told the “Spiegel”: “To secure the necessary support for Ukraine, we should now do what we can do at short notice.” First of all, an intended weapon package of three billion euros must be released so that Ukraine could order air defense, among other things. “There should be no delay here.”

The SPD foreign politician Michael Roth warned pace in the coalition formation. “We cannot wait until May a government,” he told the Editorial Network Germany. More money is quickly necessary for defense and security. “As an intermediate step, Germany has to set up a special fund without long. The fact that it has to be talked about afterwards about the debt brake is clear to everyone in view of the dramatic situation.”

Union faction vice WadePhul assumes that “the events in the Oval Office will significantly accelerate our exploratory and coalition talks”, as he said in the “Tagesspiegel”. On Deutschlandfunk he emphasized: “Political action in this historical hour must clearly set priority that we are capable of defense and that Europe is able to act.” The CDU politician added: “I do not know which instruments we will use exactly. We are talking about that now, but there are several.” You will probably have to adjust quickly in the household.

Baerbock called for decisions from the EU summit for a comprehensive financial package for Ukraine and for massive investments in shared ability to defend. There should also be talk about a European defense fund. In particular with France, Great Britain and Poland, Germany should not only coordinate, but also take close steps. “No sheet can fit between us.”