Before the trip to the USA, Chancellor Scholz threatens Russia with severe consequences in the event of an attack on Ukraine. For CDU leader Merz, the meeting with Joe Biden comes far too late.
Berlin – Chancellor Olaf Scholz* (SPD*) travels to the USA on Sunday (February 6th) for his inaugural visit. This should be all about the Ukraine crisis. According to Western sources, Russia has gathered more than 100,000 soldiers and heavy equipment on the Ukrainian border. The West fears a Russian attack on the neighboring country. Russia, on the other hand, rejects the allegations and says it feels threatened by NATO.
Scholz’s inaugural visit to Washington: Partners have doubts about Germany’s loyalty to the alliance
A meeting between Scholz and US President Joe Biden* in the White House is planned for Monday. After taking office a good year ago, he had conjured up a new beginning in German-American relations after four difficult years under his predecessor Donald Trump*. In the Ukraine crisis, however, doubts were raised in the USA* as to whether Germany could be counted on in an emergency.
In the past few weeks, the Chancellor had been accused by Eastern European NATO partners and also by the United States of putting too little pressure on Russia in the Ukraine crisis*. Only after much hesitation did he put the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on the table as a possible sanction instrument. At the same time, Scholz gave a clear rejection of arms deliveries to Ukraine*.
Scholz’s inaugural visit to Washington: Chancellor threatens Russia with severe consequences
Scholz is trying to refute the criticism of his Ukraine policy, before his trip to the USA he pointed out Germany’s exchange with important partners. “The close coordination between the European partners and with the USA is very important,” he said picture on sunday. “The goal is to convey a unified and coherent message to the Kremlin: Violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will bring severe consequences for Russia* – politically, economically and geostrategically. All European allies agree on that.”
According to information from picture on sunday Scholz already called French President Emmanuel Macron * and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday. Macron, who called Johnson on Saturday, is with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin * on Monday. Macron and Polish President Andrzej Duda want to come to Berlin to talk about the crisis. Scholz is expected in the Kremlin and in Ukraine the following week.
Scholz’s first visit to Washington: the trip comes too late for CDU leader Merz
According to Friedrich Merz, Scholz should have traveled to the USA earlier. “This trip comes too late. It would have been necessary weeks ago and then with a clear message from the most important European states in the luggage,” said CDU* boss picture on sunday. Now the trip seems “like the visit of a petitioner who can no longer get out of a situation that he is to blame for and therefore has to ask his big brother in Washington for help”.
“Under him as chancellor, Germany apparently likes its role as an outsider, as a naysayer and as an obstacle to a European strategy,” criticized Merz. The Chancellor’s “speechlessness” made him “stunned”. “In the midst of the greatest threat to peace and freedom in Europe, the chancellor has largely disappeared. All his predecessors would have done that differently.”
Scholz’s inaugural visit to Washington: security expert Ischinger defends Chancellor
He was amazed “how poorly this government is taking hold,” Merz continued. Olaf Scholz neither provides leadership nor does he have a clear opinion on the critical issues. Merz also spoke out in favor of European arms deliveries to Ukraine*.
The security expert Wolfgang Ischinger*, on the other hand, defended Scholz. “I think it’s very good that Chancellor Scholz is now suddenly starting a diplomatic sprint and within ten days is actually staking out the terrain through personal talks,” said the head of the Munich Security Conference dpa. *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
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