Sunday October 24th 2021
Russia deterrent by NATO
AKK reaps criticism for nuclear weapons threat
In order to put Russia in its place, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer also speaks out in favor of the possibility of using nuclear weapons. For this she has received sharp criticism from the SPD. Group leader Rolf Mützenich accuses the defense minister of turning the “escalation screw”.
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich has sharply criticized statements by Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer of the CDU on the nuclear deterrent of NATO and called on her not to burden the work of a future federal government. “The defense minister’s recent mind games on the use of nuclear weapons in a conflict with Russia are irresponsible,” said Mützenich. “Unfortunately, Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer does not differ from the equally unfounded threats from the Russian side.”
On Deutschlandfunk, Kramp-Karrenbauer had said in response to a question about possible NATO deterrent scenarios against Russia with the option of using nuclear weapons: “We have to make it very clear to Russia that in the end – and that is also the deterrent doctrine – we are ready, also to use such means so that it has a deterrent effect beforehand and nobody gets the idea of attacking the areas over the Baltic States or in the Black Sea NATO partners, “she said. “That is the core idea of NATO, this alliance.” She referred to violations of the airspace over the Baltic NATO states by Russia, but also to “increasing attacks around the Black Sea”.
Mützenich accused Kramp-Karrenbauer of helping to turn an “escalation screw”. “It is a mystery to me whether the minister also thought of the nuclear weapons still stored in Germany.” At the Büchel Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate, around 20 atomic bombs are said to be stored, which are to be dropped by the Bundeswehr fighter jets stationed there in an emergency. The German participation in the nuclear deterrent of NATO becomes part of the coalition negotiations between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP. The SPD and the Greens take a skeptical stance on this.
Mützenich emphasized that the security policy in Germany had so far distinguished itself by illuminating the remaining opportunities for relaxation. Kramp-Karrenbauer disregard this with their statements. “I appeal to Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer not to burden the policy of a new federal government,” he told the dpa.