War in Ukraine
Criticism from the SPD of Merz ‘Weapons in the Ukraine War
Merz draws consequences from the unsuccessful efforts to end the Ukraine War. His U -turn with the rules of use for German weapons is a risky maneuver for coalition peace.
The abolition of the restrictions announced by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) for the use of German weapons against Russian territory in the Ukraine War causes criticism in the SPD. The social democratic foreign politician Ralf Stegner called the step “not helpful”. Everything that is expanding the war is wrong, he told the Editorial Network Germany (RND). “Rather, I find it right to strengthen the diplomatic efforts.”
The former SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich was also distant. He was very unsure about what Merz’s advance in the war zone meant, said Mützenich on Deutschlandfunk. He still had many questions to the Chancellor. It was right to make a range limit. “I would ask the federal government to participate in the diplomatic efforts at the moment,” said Mützenich. It is very obvious that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin escalates, so everything has to be done to underpin the process of negotiations through further diplomatic initiatives.
The deputy parliamentary group leader of the Greens, Agnieszka Brugger, welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement against it. “With new cruelty, Vladimir Putin bombs all peace efforts and discussions on the ground. It would be a mistake to accept this,” she said.
Merz: “No more reach restrictions”
Merz had declared on Monday at the WDR European European in Berlin that the weapons delivered from Germany to Ukraine no longer apply, regarding the range and thus the use against Russian territory. “There are no longer any reach restrictions on weapons that have been delivered to Ukraine, neither by the British nor the French, nor by us, nor are the Americans,” he said. The hot that Ukraine can now also “defend itself by attacking military positions in Russia, for example. It couldn’t do that until some time ago.”
The statement means a change of course to his predecessor Olaf Scholz (SPD). Last year he had allowed German weapons to be used such as the multiple rocket launcher Mars II against positions on the Russian territory for the region around the competitive city of Charkiw. As a result, he had subsequently spoke out against an additional abolition of the operating restrictions, unlike important alliance partners such as Great Britain and France.
Klingbeil: “There is no new appointment”
Merz is now decided by his predecessor’s Ukraine policy for the first time. The trigger for this was obviously the unsuccessful efforts for a ceasefire in the Ukraine War and the massive Russian air strikes on Ukraine at the weekend. Putin obviously understands discussions as a weakness, said Merz. “The allegation of not working out all diplomatic means that there is, nobody can seriously make us.”
To what extent Merz coordinated his statements with the coalition partner remained open at first. In any case, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD) contradicted the impression that there was a change of course. “As far as the range is concerned, I want to say that there is no new appointment that goes beyond what the previous government has done,” he said at a press conference in Berlin.
Kremlin spokesman: “Pretty dangerous decisions”
The Kremlin also reacted to the Merz area. These are “rather dangerous decisions when they existed,” said Kreml spokesman Dmitri Peskow.
Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul immediately rejected the criticism from Moscow. “There have now been several requests and opportunities to get to the negotiating table for the Russian president and he knocked it out,” said the CDU politician during a visit to Lisbon. “We have always clearly announced that this behavior will not remain without consequences.”
German weapons are no longer than 85 kilometers
Operately, Merz’s announcement will initially have little effect, since Germany has hardly delivered any weapons with which the Ukrainian armed forces can hit Russian positions and post -school lines far behind the front line. The rocket launcher Mars II with a range of around 85 kilometers and the armored shaft 2000 with a range of around 35 kilometers are the only two weapon systems.
Berlin has not yet delivered the Taurus marching aircraft with a range of 500 kilometers, with which Moscow could be reached. The United States, France and Great Britain, on the other hand, have provided the Ukrainian armed forces with a range of sometimes more than 250 kilometers, which are said to have been used against Russian territory, according to media reports.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
