(new: Reactions Baerbock, employers, unions and more details.)
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Germany wants to supply Ukraine with multiple rocket launchers and a modern air defense system to fight against the Russian attackers. In the budget debate in the Bundestag on Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also promised the Ukrainian armed forces a modern tracking radar that would be able to locate artillery positions.
In order to cushion the drastic price increases in the course of the war, the chancellor wants to call together employers and employees for a “concerted action”. This is an “unusual step”, but one that is urgently needed in view of the current situation, said Scholz in his most combative speech to date as chancellor. It’s about a “targeted effort in an extraordinary situation”.
In the weeks since his turning point speech after the beginning of the war at the end of February, Scholz had repeatedly been accused of being hesitant to deliver weapons. Anti-tank weapons, anti-aircraft missiles or machine guns and about 15 million rounds of ammunition have been made available on a large scale for the Ukrainians’ defense against Russia – but no heavy weapons. Seven self-propelled howitzers have been promised
– heavy artillery pieces – as well as 50 anti-aircraft tanks of the type
Cheetah. But they haven’t arrived in Ukraine yet.
Redemption with three new weapon pledges
In his speech in the general debate, Scholz now launched a liberation on the subject. The three new weapon promises go qualitatively beyond the previous promises:
– Four Mars II MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHERS held by the armed forces should be delivered to the Ukraine by the end of June if possible. This is being done in close coordination with the USA, which would also train Ukrainian soldiers on the systems, according to government circles. The USA had already promised the delivery of such long-range artillery systems of the HIMARS type on Tuesday. The condition for this was a commitment by Ukraine not to attack any targets on Russian territory. Scholz also emphasized this commitment in his speech to the Bundestag. The Bundeswehr has been using the MARS II rocket launcher since 1990, which, depending on the ammunition, can hit targets between 10 and 40 kilometers away. The firing batteries are mounted on tracked vehicles.
– According to Scholz, the AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM is an Iris-T from the manufacturer Diehl. It is the most modern air defense system that Germany has, said the Chancellor. “By doing so, we are enabling Ukraine to protect an entire city from Russian air raids.” Ukraine has long been demanding the delivery of anti-aircraft systems to protect against attacks by Russian fighter jets, helicopters, missiles or drones.
– In addition, there is a LOCATION SYSTEM, which is intended to detect artillery positions.
Baerbock justifies arms deliveries with “new wave of destruction”
Scholz categorically rejected the accusation that the federal government was hesitant to deliver arms. “It’s just gibberish that you’re saying,” he said to the opposition. “Great determination, courage and wise judgment: that’s what we do.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) justified the new arms deliveries with the current advance of the Russian armed forces in eastern Ukraine. “This is a new wave of annihilation. It is also a new strategy of depopulation, of wiping out civilization in Donbass,” she said. One needs now a lot of staying power with the military support of the Ukraine. Air defense systems, artillery and drones are currently in demand. The Russian President Wladimir Putin recently warned the West against the delivery of heavy weapons.
Another surprise: “Concerted action”
In addition to the arms deliveries, Scholz had another surprise ready in his speech: a “concerted action” against the price increases in the wake of the Ukraine war. He placed this topic at the beginning of his speech – well before the topic of arms deliveries.
The term “concerted action” is known from the times of the first grand coalition. In view of the first economic crisis in the Federal Republic, Economics Minister Karl Schiller (SPD) called together representatives from the government, the Bundesbank, business associations and trade unions in 1967. “Concerted” means “arranged” – i.e. the attempt to voluntarily coordinate and reconcile interests.
Scholz made it clear that this coordination process “should not be permanent” and that there would be no wage negotiations. In Germany, the social partners and the state have a “long tradition of working closely together for the common good in such situations”.
Employers and trade unions welcomed the Chancellor’s initiative
– although this did not go into concrete details. “Employers’ Associations
and trade unions have always worked constructively on solutions in previous crises. We will do it again this time,” said employer president Rainer Dulger. Yasmin Fahimi, chairwoman of the German Trade Union Confederation, emphasized that the social partnership “has always been a mainstay of our market economy” and has “proved this to a particularly great extent” in times of crisis. can.
“Danced”: exchange of blows between Scholz and Merz
Scholz, who often reads his speeches, was unusually aggressive this time in the Bundestag. He accused the leader of the opposition, Friedrich Merz, of only ever asking questions and never really taking a position. “You danced through the matter here and didn’t say anything specific,” Scholz called out to the CDU leader.
In his speech earlier, he once again accused the Chancellor of a lack of support from Ukraine: “They’ve been talking a little more than usual lately, but they’re still saying nothing.” If you ask around in the European Union, there is now only upset, disappointment and “real irritation” about Germany’s role./mfi/tam/hrz/cn/sam/abc/DP/men