BUndeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) has promised Ukraine the delivery of a modern air defense system. In addition, the Ukrainian armed forces will be provided with a tracking radar that can spot artillery, Scholz said on Wednesday in the Bundestag.
In addition, the Ukrainian armed forces will be provided with a modern tracking radar that can spot artillery, said Scholz. He also announced that Germany would support the United States’ announced delivery of multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine “according to our technical capabilities.”
According to Scholz, the air defense system is Iris-T from the manufacturer Diehl. This will deliver the most modern air defense system that Germany has. “This will enable Ukraine to protect an entire city from Russian air raids,” said Scholz. Ukraine has long requested the delivery of anti-aircraft systems to protect itself against attacks by Russian fighter jets, helicopters, missiles or drones.
Immediately after the beginning of the war, the federal government decided to supply German weapons for the first time in an ongoing war against a nuclear power. So far, among other things, bazookas, anti-aircraft missiles and many millions of rounds of ammunition have been delivered.
In the past few weeks, the federal government had already made two commitments for the delivery of heavy weapons: 50 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks and 7 self-propelled howitzers 2000 – modern artillery pieces with a range of 40 kilometers – are to be delivered to the Ukraine. But they haven’t gotten there yet. The opposition has repeatedly accused Scholz of hesitation in recent weeks.
Scholz shares against Merz
Scholz criticized opposition leader Friedrich Merz in an unusually sharp manner. Merz will not get away with always asking questions and never taking a correct position on something, the Chancellor said on Wednesday in his response to the speech by the CDU chairman in the budget debate. “You danced through the matter here and didn’t say anything specific.” And if Merz takes a position on something, then “it gets embarrassing,” said Scholz.
In terms of content, the Chancellor criticized that Merz had proposed a soli, i.e. a tax increase for almost all citizens, in order to pay for the better equipment of the Bundeswehr. “What a strange idea,” said Scholz. He also emphasized that the bad times for the Bundeswehr began with the former Union Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, who slashed a lot of money. Merz didn’t say a word about that. “Sometimes technical work is really useful, Mr. Merz,” said Scholz.
Accusation from Merz: Scholz does not deliver
Scholz was again cautious about Germany’s foreign policy goals in the Ukraine war. The goal of the federal government is that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not win” the war of aggression he started against Ukraine, said Scholz. “Our goal is for Ukraine to be able to defend itself and be successful at that,” he added.
Merz had previously accused the Chancellor of Ukraine’s lack of support in defending against the Russian war of aggression. “They’ve been talking a little more than usual lately, but they’re still saying nothing,” he accused him. He accused Scholz of failing to deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine. He also finds it inappropriate that the President of the Ukrainian Parliament, who is expected in Berlin on Thursday, has not yet received an appointment from the Chancellor.
Another point of criticism: Scholz only said that Russia should not win this war and that Ukraine must survive, said Merz. But why doesn’t Scholz say that Ukraine must win the war and Russia must at least withdraw beyond the pre-February 24 contact line. “Why don’t you say it?” Merz asked. “Is there a second agenda?”
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