Scholz is ours! German Chancellor defended the decision to transfer weapons to Ukraine

On May 19, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had to defend the government’s decision to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons in the country’s parliament. A month ago, the head of the German government was against the transfer of something more significant to the Armed Forces of Ukraine than helmets and bulletproof vests.

DW reports on the historic speech of the German Chancellor in the Bundestag.

What happened

“To assist in the defense of a country that has been severely attacked, – there is no escalation in it. This is a contribution to repelling the attack and thus to an early end to the violence. We are all united by a common goal – not let Russia win this war. Ukraine must survive”Scholz emphasized.

Thus, the German politician, whose rating collapsed in April amid the refusal to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with weapons, responded to domestic critics who believe that by arming Ukraine, the West only increases the escalation of the conflict.

truce

At the same time, Scholz rejected Russia’s attempts to impose peace on Ukraine on its own terms. “There will be no dictated peace, because the Ukrainians will not accept it, and neither will we,” Scholz said, referring to the entire EU community.

Only when Russian President Vladimir Putin realizes that he will not be able to break Ukraine, “will he be ready to seriously negotiate peace,” and for this it is important to strengthen the defense capability of Kyiv, the German politician added.

Olaf Scholz also supported the idea of ​​establishing a European Solidarity Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.

“I hope that sooner or later the war will end, and one thing is already clear: the restoration of the destroyed infrastructure, the revival of the Ukrainian economy – all this will cost billions“, he stated.

Change of position

• On April 22, Scholz announced that Berlin would, if possible, continue to supply weapons to Ukraine, but again emphasized that they did not have “extra” weapons for Ukraine, and there were no heavy weapons among the existing ones.
• Scholz was also sure that Ukraine only Soviet-era equipment can be supplied, for the use of which the Ukrainian military will not need to be trained. Modern weapons, according to the Chancellor, our servicemen will not be able to quickly master.
• However, on May 10, during a visit to Ukraine by German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock, it was announced that Germany plans to supply the Armed Forces of Ukraine with modern tanks and howitzers, and in parallel will begin training the Ukrainian military to use this equipment.
• On May 15, Scholz said that Germany plans to stop importing Russian oil and coal by the end of this year, it is not going to rush with gas, and the country has no intention to refuse supplies. For now.