Following the EU-Ukraine summit, the European Council will meet to discuss aid to Ukraine. Watch Chancellor Scholz’s government statement in the Bundestag live here.
Olaf Scholz announced new EU sanctions against Russia. The Chancellor said in a government statement in the Bundestag on Wednesday that the EU will support Ukraine “for as long as necessary” against Russian aggression. “Putin will not be able to achieve his goals either on the battlefield or through dictated peace,” he said.
“As the European Union, we will re-tighten sanctions against Russia on the anniversary of the start of the war,” he said, referring to the talks at the special EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On February 24, 2022.
Scholz: Germany one of Ukraine’s main supporters
Germany is one of Ukraine’s main financial backers. In the face of the controversy over the tank shipment and criticism from Eastern Europe, Scholz said, “We are also far ahead in Continental Europe in the supply of weapons and ammunition.”
The highest good of Western states is harmony. At the same time, the Chancellor said, “What is hurting our contingent, main battle tanks, submarines, planes – who wants more?” such as auction competition.
Scholz: NATO should not be party to war
He also criticized “concise domestic political statements and criticisms of partners and allies on the open stage”, citing light politicians from the SPD, the Greens, and the FDP. Contradictions and speculations about possible differences of interest were only useful for the Russian president and his propaganda.
Scholz stressed once again that despite all the aid to Ukraine, NATO should not become a war party. Weapons deliveries will continue to be very closely coordinated with partners.
“Ukraine belongs to Europe”
Scholz makes the government statement on the occasion of the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Europe. The Council will meet in Brussels on 9 and 10 February 2023. After the announcement, a discussion will begin that will last for an hour and a half.
Scholz said the EU will use Thursday’s special summit to “align their positions and chart the future course”. The summit will “reaffirm the promise that the Council of Europe made to the Ukrainians last June: Ukraine belongs to Europe, its future lies in the European Union. And this promise is true.”
Merz: Scholz very hesitant
Union faction leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) accused Scholz of being too hesitant to support Ukraine.
That’s what Merz said after Scholz’s government statement. As an example, Merz cited the planned delivery of battle tanks to Ukraine.
“Repairs are just beginning now – we have a few days left before we have to wait for the next attack by the Russian armed forces,” Merz said. When the decision to surrender the tanks came, the Scholz government “braked to the end and hesitated”, the delivery would take “several weeks if not months”. Merz criticized that the turning point, which Scholz announced in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, “happened only on paper”.
Of the 100 billion euros special fund set aside for the Bundeswehr, “almost no orders and tenders have been published,” he said. This also applies to ammunition that Ukraine urgently needs.
Source: ZDF
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