No threat to Russia
CDU politician calls for defensive weapons for Ukraine
01/23/2022 at 9:47 p.m
The federal government rejects arms deliveries to Ukraine. The Union sees things differently: Hardt, the foreign policy spokesman for the parliamentary group in the Bundestag, says that Germany must “give up its strict anti-stance.” Meanwhile, Linke Gysi understands ex-naval chief Schönbach.
After the scandal surrounding the German naval chief Kay-Achim Schönbach, demands for German arms deliveries to the Ukraine are reinforced in the Union. In terms of armament support for Ukraine, Germany must “give up its strict anti-stance,” said the foreign policy spokesman for the Union faction, Jürgen Hardt, the “world”. He believes that “the demand for defensive weapons from Ukraine in Germany should be checked and, in certain cases, approved.”
Hardt explained that there are weapons that Russia cannot seriously perceive as a threat. “It includes anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.” A “paternalism” of Baltic NATO partners on this issue “does not work at all”. Hardt was referring to a Wall Street Journal report that Germany was blocking the delivery of German arms through Estonia to Ukraine.
Hardt made it clear in the “Welt” that the statements made by the dismissed Vice-Admiral Schönbach about Ukraine and Russia “in no way correspond to the political stance of the democratic parties in the Bundestag”. “There is no support for them in German politics,” emphasized the Union politician and made it clear: “Crimea is part of Ukraine.”
During a visit to India on Friday, Schönbach described the Russian troops’ fears of invading Ukraine as “nonsense”. Commenting on Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the vice admiral said: “The Crimean Peninsula is lost, it will never return.” The Ukrainian government ordered the German ambassador in Kiev because of the statements. Schönbach resigned as chief of the Navy on Saturday with immediate effect.
The designated Greens chairman Omid Nouripour showed in the “world” understanding for the “irritations” in Ukraine. He also understands “the displeasure” of the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk. On the other hand, he finds “the upright step of the Navy chief from his post after a big mistake very respectable,” added Nouripour.
Gregor Gysi from the Left Party, on the other hand, described Schönbach’s assessment of Crimea as correct: “It is understandable that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is upset because it assumes that Crimea belongs to Ukraine. Nevertheless, the admiral is of course right that Crimea will not return will,” said Gysi of the “world”. Schönbach should have “not publicly declared this, but not yet publicly” because he should “not engage in politics”.