Is Germany helping Ukraine as much as it claims? Could she support her more, and if so, why not?
These questions have taken an increasingly prominent place in German public debate in recent days. Also within the government, whose difficulty in showing a clear and coherent line has drawn criticism from those who accuse him of not cooperating so actively with Ukraine.
A new episode of this soap took place on Monday 11 April. From Luxembourg, where she was to meet her European colleagues, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens)said she was in favor of deliveries of heavy weapons to Ukraine. † [Ce pays] needs more military equipment, especially heavy weapons”she said, explaining that “the terrible reality we see every day” justifies “absolutely clear” supply of such weapons. Before, “we have to be creative and pragmatic” for’“Help Ukraine as soon as possible”she added. A few minutes later, his statements made the front page of several major German media outlets.
Dissonance within the ruling coalition
In an article published on Thursday 7 April, the news site Politics had indeed revealed that Social Democratic Chancellor (SPD) Olaf Scholz had refused to give the green light to the delivery of one hundred Marder tanks to Ukraine. A delivery that had been prepared by his Minister of Economy Robert Habeck (Greens), and actively supported by Annalena Baerbock. To justify his choice not to immediately deliver this type of weapon, Olaf Scholz stated before the Bundestag on April 6 that he “It is important to coordinate upstream between NATO and the partners of the European Union [UE] †and “Nobody does it alone, not even Germany”†
Five Days Later, Voting For Heavy Weapons Deliveries To Ukraine ” as soon as possible “, Annalena Baerbock has clearly alluded to her difference with Olaf Scholz. Was it supposed to be clear that the line of government had evolved compared to the previous week and that the prejudices then expressed by the Chancellor were no longer valid? By no means, said a spokeswoman for Olaf Scholz, explaining that he had not changed his mind and that the reasons for refusing to supply tanks to Ukraine now were still valid.
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