BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a “Marshall Plan” for the reconstruction of war-torn Ukraine. In his government statement in the Bundestag on Wednesday, he said that during his visit to Ukraine last week some things reminded him of the images of German cities after the Second World War. “And like war-ravaged Europe then, Ukraine needs a Marshall Plan for reconstruction today.”
Between 1948 and 1952, the USA helped Germany and other European countries with their Marshall Plan to get back on their feet after six years of war. Many billions of US dollars have been invested in reconstruction.
In his speech at the EU, G7 and NATO summits in the next eight days, Scholz also promised Ukraine further arms deliveries. He promised the NATO states in the eastern alliance area continued support to protect them from Russia. “We will defend every square meter of Alliance territory,” he said.
In preparation for the summit marathon, Scholz got an idea of the situation in Ukraine last week and visited the partially destroyed Kiev suburb of Irpin, among other things. “The extent of the destruction is enormous,” he said in the Bundestag and used his impressions to justify the call for a Marshall Plan.
Since the beginning of the war, the European Union had already mobilized billions in funds, and Germany was at the forefront, he said. “But we will need many more billions of euros and dollars for reconstruction – and that for years to come. That can only be done if we join forces.”
In order to organize the help, Scholz wants to convene an international conference of experts as part of Germany’s G7 presidency. An agreement must be reached on which investments will bring Ukraine forward the fastest on its European path, said the SPD politician.
Europe stands united on the side of the Ukrainian people, the Chancellor assured. “We will continue to support Ukraine massively – financially, economically, humanitarianly, politically and not least with the delivery of weapons,” he said, adding: “For as long as Ukraine needs our support.”
In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Scholz expects a signal of cohesion and determination from the NATO summit in Madrid. “A partnership with Russia, as stated in the Strategic Concept of 2010, is unimaginable for the foreseeable future with Putin’s aggressive, imperialist Russia,” he emphasized. At the same time, he warned against drawing the wrong conclusions. “It would be unwise for us to denounce the NATO-Russia Founding Act,” he said. That would the Russian President Wladimir Putin and whose propaganda only play into their hands.
In the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997, NATO also committed itself to refraining from permanently stationing “substantial combat troops” in the eastern alliance area. The planned long-term increase in NATO’s presence on the eastern flank could further increase tensions with Russia. At the NATO summit from June 28th to 30th in Madrid, the alliance partners want to discuss, among other things, a new strategic concept./mfi/DP/ngu