“Problem in the Chancellery”: Hofreiter attacks Scholz head-on

“Problem in the Chancellery”
Hofreiter attacks Scholz head-on

Since his return from Ukraine, Green Party politician Hofreiter has been drumming for Ukraine’s demands. Now he surprisingly attacks Chancellor Scholz. He should show leadership and decide on the delivery of heavy weapons.

Green politician Anton Hofreiter has clearly called for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to move in Ukraine politics. “The problem is in the Chancellery,” said the chairman of the Bundestag’s Europe Committee on Wednesday evening’s “RTL Direkt” program. “Now we must finally start providing Ukraine with what it needs, and that includes heavy weapons.”

In the “early start” on ntv in the morning, Hofreiter also called on Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to support the delivery of heavy weapons. He found it wrong that Steinmeier was unloaded from Ukraine again, but: “I would like him to say loud and clear: Yes, I was wrong and that now has consequences. And these consequences are that he is committed to the chancellor, whom he knows well, that heavy weapons are now also being delivered.”

“Losing massive respect from our neighbors”

On “RTL Direkt” he also demanded that Germany stop blocking the energy embargo, especially for oil and coal. Scholz speaks of a turning point, but does not implement it sufficiently, criticized Hofreiter. “And that requires a lot more leadership.” The Greens politician said that when you talk to other European parliamentarians, the question is asked everywhere where Germany actually is. “We’re losing a lot of respect from all of our neighbors there.”

Hofreiter said on ntv in the morning: “I think we can afford an entire energy embargo.” However, coal-fired power plants would then have to be operated temporarily longer and “more intensively”. The Greens politician also emphasized: “It would also lead to certain losses in industry, which would have to be compensated for with short-time work benefits.”

Ukraine is demanding heavy weapons such as battle tanks, artillery pieces and air defense systems from Germany. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke out in favor of the delivery of heavy weapons, while Chancellor Scholz has so far been reluctant to answer questions about this. The “Passauer Neue Presse” said Hofreiter with a view to Scholz: “I don’t understand his attitude.” That could have to do with the fact that there are strong reservations in Scholz’s party. Prominent SPD politicians such as faction leaders Rolf Mützenich and Ralf Stegner are against the delivery of heavy weapons.

Attack comes after Ukraine visit

Hofreiter visited Ukraine this week. Together with Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann from the FDP and the SPD politician Michael Roth, he met parliamentarians from the Ukrainian Rada. The three MPs and committee chairs were the first Bundestag delegation to travel to Ukraine since the beginning of the war. They then demanded that heavy weapons be supplied to the country.

The Ukrainian interlocutors had three wishes in particular, which they agree to, said the three deputies afterwards. In addition to the arms deliveries, these are energy sanctions against Russia and a clear EU perspective for Ukraine. In addition to meeting the Ukrainian parliamentarians, Strack-Zimmermann, Hofreiter and Roth also visited injured Ukrainian soldiers in the hospital and the site of the oil depots destroyed by a Russian rocket attack.

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