Chancellor Olaf Scholz sharply condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine and described it as a far-reaching turning point. “We are experiencing a turning point,” said the SPD politician on Sunday in a special session of the Bundestag.
“That means: the world after is no longer the same as the world before.” The core question is whether power can break the law and whether Russian President Vladimir Putin can be allowed to turn the clocks back in time to the great powers turn back to the 19th century. “Or whether we can muster the strength to set limits on warmongers like Putin,” emphasized Scholz.
The chancellor reiterated that by invading Ukraine, Putin had cold-bloodedly started a war of aggression.
All developments in the live blog
This is done for a single reason: “The freedom of the Ukrainians calls into question his own oppressive regime. That is inhuman. This is against international law. Nothing and nobody can justify that.”
Scholz has assured Ukraine full solidarity against the Russian attack. “As democrats, as Europeans, we stand by your side – on the right side of history,” said Scholz on Sunday in his government statement during the special session of the Bundestag on the Russian attack on Ukraine. To applause he defended the German government’s decision to supply German arms to Ukraine. “There could be no other answer to Putin’s aggression,” he said.
Bundeswehr should be better equipped
The Bundeswehr is to receive 100 billion euros for investments and armament projects from the federal budget via a special fund. scholz also announced on Sunday that Germany will “from now on – year after year – invest more than two percent of the gross domestic product in our defense”.
In view of the turning point caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine, the Bundeswehr needs “new, strong capabilities,” said Scholz. The benchmark must be that everything is done that is needed to secure peace in Europe. “One thing is clear: we have to invest significantly more in the security of our country in order to protect our freedom and our democracy in this way,” said Scholz. The goal is an efficient, highly modern and progressive Bundeswehr. “This is a national effort.”
Scholz encourages Russian demonstrators
Germany stands “on the side of all those in Russia who courageously stand up to Putin’s power apparatus and reject his war against Ukraine,” said Scholz on Sunday in his government statement in the Bundestag. “We know you are many. I say to all of you: Don’t give up!” Scholz appealed.
The Chancellor said he was “quite certain” that freedom, tolerance and human rights would prevail in Russia.
At the same time, Scholz acknowledged the commitment of all those forces in Russia who protested against the actions of Russian ruler Putin. “That requires great courage and true bravery,” said Scholz. These people would have “put up with arrest and punishment”. Many members of the Bundestag then rose from their seats and applauded.
LNG terminals are built
Scholz also addressed the rise in energy costs. The Chancellor stressed that the citizens would not be left alone with this. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced the construction of two terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Germany as a reaction to the Ukraine war and dependence on Russian natural gas. Scholz named Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven as locations in the Bundestag on Sunday.