The FDP chairman was connected from Washington and spoke primarily about the Ukraine war. His party supports the delivery of heavy weapons to the war zone.
FDP leader and Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner was involved in the party conference of the Liberals from the USA. He is in corona quarantine in Washington.
«Ukraine must win this war and will win this war. Anything else would be an invitation to repeat,” said the German Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner on Saturday at the Liberal Party Congress in Berlin.
The event was marked by the Ukraine war and the corona pandemic – because Lindner is stuck in Washington due to a Covid infection. He was therefore connected virtually. After about half an hour the connection dropped again and again. Lindner had to end his speech, which was broadcast virtually from Washington, a few minutes later. Originally, 60 minutes of speaking time were planned.
Lindner had previously commented in detail on the German role in the Ukraine war. Kyiv needs heavy weapons. It is a mystery to him why this statement is a problem for some. In the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, the Liberals, together with the Greens, are pressuring to deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine. Otherwise the country could not defend itself effectively against the Russian invaders, they argued. Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz continues to oppose the direct delivery of German tanks or artillery to Ukraine. He justifies his reluctance, among other things, with the danger of nuclear war.
Lindner does not seem to share this attitude, but warned against general attacks on the chancellor, who is acting prudently. Scholz has the confidence of the FDP, he says. The Union parties CDU and CSU are playing a dangerous game because they want to separate the coalition partners. In view of the war, he has no understanding for these maneuvers. The background to Lindner’s comment are efforts by the Union faction to have the Bundestag vote on the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine next week. Theoretically, the Greens and the FDP could then vote in favor, which would dupe the SPD and coalition peace would be gone.