MWith sharp criticism, the Federation responded to the new statements of Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD), which is why the federal government does not want to supply Ukraine with battle tanks. „These are very frightening statements that we hope will not be the official position of the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Germany because they show frightening ignorance,” defense politician Rodrich Kiswetter said.daily mirror„.
Schmidt had delivered in English at the „Progressive Governance Summit” on Thursday in Berlin He said: „If the German Iron Cross main battle tanks were captured, it would be a perfect occasion for Russian propaganda to say, look, this NATO is attacking us.”
He also compared the demand for German tanks with the hope of turning the war around with V2 weapons during the Nazi era. „I tend to call it German V2 syndrome,” Schmidt continued, believing there was a silver bullet that magically made things disappear. For some, the Leopard 2 is now the silver bullet that could end a war, „but that’s not how it works,” Schmidt emphasized.
“All the combat vehicles and weapons systems supplied do not have the national insignia of the supplying countries, but the national insignia of Ukraine. The Iron Cross is for Bundeswehr vehicles on assigned missions and locally,” Kesswetter told Tagesspiegel.
„Schmidt denigrates Germany”
Moreover, the use of the term V-arms, that is, vengeful weapons, testifies to a „fatal historical ignorance”. The Nazi regime used the V2 missile as an offensive weapon against civilian targets in large cities such as London or Antwerp. Leopard tanks will be used to liberate the territory of Ukraine, for Ukrainian self-defense, as a joint European initiative, as proposed by the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Michael Roth (SPD).
In addition, all experts will say that main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles will militarily strengthen Ukraine in order to restore its territorial integrity. Schmidt not only confuses cause and effect, but also downplays Russia’s terrible war against the Ukrainian civilian population and discredits Germany. Chancellor Merkel would have summoned a minister with these remarks.”
The leader of the parliamentary union group, Johann Wadful Schmidt, was also harshly criticized. The appearance of the head of the chancellery was disturbing. Wadfull told the Tagesspiegel newspaper that it showed Chancellor Schulz was lost and „has no strategy of his own to support Ukraine”. “Because the delivered Gibbard tanks can also be captured and of course there is no such thing as a 'silver bullet'” the question remains whether Germany is „doing everything it can.” Unfortunately, this question must be answered in the negative with regard to armored personnel carriers and main battle tanks. „The government is not fulfilling its demands and Germany is not fulfilling its international responsibility.”
Ukraine also orders main battle tanks such as the modern Leopard 2 and armored personnel carriers from Western countries such as Germany. These tanks could be useful for Ukraine to advance and reclaim territory. The German federal government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SDP) has been criticized several times for being too cautious about arms deliveries. Schulz said recently that Germany wants to focus on providing air defense and artillery systems.
