With a motion in the German Bundestag, the parliamentary group CDU/CSU wants to urge the federal government to move forward on the issue of heavy weapons deliveries to Ukraine. The union faction deputy Johann Wadephul (CDU) said on Friday in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” when asked if the threat with the request and a roll call vote was valid, the union decided to do so and bring the request.
There is a clear parliamentary majority for the delivery of heavy weapons. Most, if not all, of the Greens and the FDP are in favor, and there are also important voices in the SPD. The Union has been supporting this for weeks.
A decision of conscience
“Germany can deliver,” Wadephul emphasized. This should be clarified in the Bundestag. If the issue of compulsory vaccination was a decision of conscience, then this issue was even more so.
Ukraine is exposed to a “terrible war of annihilation”. An “unparalleled violation of civilization” is experienced. This must be stopped. This is only possible with heavy weapons, said the CDU politician. Germany must be there and “effectively help” Ukraine. The Union offers to speak about the text of the order. But the content must be clear: “Germany must deliver”.
Insufficient ring exchange
Wadephul sees the German government’s planned exchange of rings – the delivery of heavy weapons to other countries, which in turn send heavy equipment to Ukraine – as insufficient. “It’s one excuse after another. It’s too little and too late,” he said.
FDP defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann also called for more speed in decisions on arms deliveries to Ukraine. The discussion process should definitely be shortened, the chairman of the Bundestag Defense Committee said Friday in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”. “Russia will not stop the terrible attacks until we resolve ourselves here,” emphasized Strack-Zimmermann.
The FDP politician welcomed the planned exchange of rings, i.e. the delivery of heavy weapons to other countries, which in turn will send heavy equipment to Ukraine. The idea came from the committee three weeks ago. But in war every day counts.
Strack-Zimmermann invited Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to the committee. This was nothing unusual, emphasized the FDP politician. Then-Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) was also a guest of the committee in 2016. It was clear to her that Scholz had a lot of commitments and wanted to fly to Japan on Wednesday, the day of the committee meeting. But she is confident that the committee visit will come, if not that day, then another.
Strack-Zimmermann also suggested looking at what the Bundeswehr could still offer. He mentioned, for example, “rear front” clearance technology, armored bridge-laying vehicles or shielded vehicles for transporting soldiers. (apa, dpa)