“A communications disaster”
Merz sees the Taurus dispute as a gift to Putin
March 25, 2024, 2:08 a.m
The week-long traffic light dispute over the pros and cons of Taurus deliveries to Ukraine ultimately benefits the Russian president, says the CDU leader. While Chancellor Scholz finds the debate “ridiculous”, Habeck sees it similarly to Merz.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz has warned against playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin with public disputes over arms deliveries: “We are the only country in the entire Western world that publicly discusses arms deliveries in this way,” Merz told the newspapers the Funke media group. Instead, the Europeans would have to talk to the Americans behind closed doors about continued support for Ukraine and make joint decisions. “Constant public discussions and arguments in the coalition only play into Putin’s hand in terms of security policy.”
Merz accused the traffic light government of having caused “a real communications disaster” in the debate over the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles. If there was the political will to do so, it would be possible to deliver the Taurus without becoming a party to the war. “If the government doesn’t want that, it should at least give comprehensible reasons for its rejection and then take a united stance.”
Habeck: “The last few weeks have not been good”
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck made a similar assessment last week. If a government does not agree internally and with the democratic opposition, Russian President Putin will benefit from it, said the Green politician. “He just has to sit back and say: ‘Look, they can’t get anything done.’ That’s why the last few weeks haven’t been good.” This applies regardless of how one views the Taurus issue and further financial or military support.
Immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine, it was easier to initially reach confidential agreements, said Habeck. These are difficult questions and many people are seriously worried that there is a need for discussion about them. But as unclear as Putin’s war goals are, it is clear that he despises the West and sees this type of exchange as weakness, explained Habeck. The Greens and FDP are insisting on the delivery of Taurus, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the SPD have reservations. Scholz recently called the debate about Taurus “ridiculous”.