How German politicians respond to Putin’s threat

Berlin. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s threats to assess the shelling of his territory with Western weapons in the course of the war in Ukraine as direct participation in the conflict and to respond “with a concrete response” were rejected by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday and German foreign policy experts. .

In his first conversation with international news agencies since the start of the war on Wednesday evening in St. Petersburg, Putin warned, among other things, about the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine; “If it is now said that missiles will appear there that can carry out attacks on objects on Russian territory, it will ultimately destroy Russian-German relations,” he said, without elaborating.

Government statement: Scholz explains change of course

In the past, various parties have repeatedly called for a Taurus delivery so that Ukraine can better defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression. Chancellor Scholz had always rejected this. However, Germany – like the US – has recently allowed Ukraine to attack Russian targets with Western weapons to ward off attacks on the Kharkiv metropolis in the border area. Putin threatened an “asymmetric response” in this case.

On Thursday, Olaf Scholz explained his change of course in his government statement in the Bundestag. Especially after that, he will continue to do everything he can to ensure that Germany is not dragged into a war, the SPD politician said. “We have been working closely with our allies on how we will respond to this. Just like we always do.” The Germans could trust “that we will act wisely.”

Scholz: Ukraine can use the weapons supplied

Russia has opened a new front against the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, near the border, Scholz explains. The partners affirmed that Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against attacks. That is why “Ukraine can also use the weapons supplied by us and our allies,” Scholz emphasized.

The Union faction appealed to the federal government not to be intimidated by Putin. Playing on German fears has been part of Russian warfare since the beginning of the war, CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen told the editorial network Germany (RND).

Röttgen: Perpetrator-victim reversal

“The perpetrator-victim reversal that Putin practices is also an integral part of Russian propaganda,” he said. “The perpetrator portrays himself as a victim, although according to international law there is no doubt that Ukraine can also defend itself against the attacker on Russian territory. If we allow ourselves to be intimidated, we will give Putin a free hand to further destroy Ukraine.” The return of peace to Europe is only possible if war fails as a means to achieve political goals, he stressed.

European Commission President Anton Hofreiter (Greens) praised Scholz for his change of course on the arms issue – despite the Kremlin’s new warnings. “Putin has been threatening us continuously since the start of the war,” Hofreiter said. “His goal is to end our support for Ukraine. That is the case again here.”

Germany must not be intimidated, “otherwise we would leave the people of Ukraine, especially in the city of Kharkiv, defenseless against the Russian bombing,” the Greens said. Experience has shown that Putin only speaks the language of toughness. “Only in this way will he understand that he cannot achieve his goals militarily and will he be willing to come to the negotiating table,” Hofteiter emphasized. “Peace will only come if we support Ukraine so that it can protect its people and its country.”

The FDP’s top candidate for the European elections, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, praised Scholz’s change of course. The only red line that was crossed was crossed by Russian President Putin on February 24, 2022 – on the starting day of Russia’s war of aggression against all of Ukraine, the defense politician said in the Bundestag on Thursday. “He set the whole world on fire.”

Despite the new steps, Strack-Zimmermann criticized Germany’s support for Ukraine as still being too cautious: “Germany is committed, but not fast enough,” she said, “and we are completely predictable for Putin.” Putin fears nothing but a consistent response.