According to Chancellor Scholz, the "turning point" caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine should not only affect German defense policy, but also accelerate the change in energy policy and end dependence on (Russian) oil and gas.

In his first budget speech to the Bundestag, Scholz tried to convey firmness but avoid precise definitions.

Johannes Leithauser

Political correspondent in Berlin.

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On the one hand, he defended that Germany would not immediately renounce energy supplies from Russia.

Nobody would benefit if the German economy fell into a recession;

the sanctions should not “hit European states harder than the Russian leadership”.

On the other hand, he announced that ports for landing liquid gas would be built “much faster than before” in Germany;

the approval procedures for wind turbines and solar fields must also be accelerated.

"NATO will not become a party to the war"

On the one hand, Scholz assured Ukraine that they could “rely on our help”.

On the other hand, however, he stated that Germany and NATO would not give in to Ukrainian requests for the establishment of a no-fly zone or the deployment of peacekeeping troops, "as difficult as it is".

Scholz said, "NATO will not become a party to the war".

The Chancellor praised the German willingness to help Ukrainian refugees and tried to demonstrate his government's willingness to act.

He announced that the EU must use the current security crisis to strengthen its defense capabilities and "take another step towards European sovereignty".

He pleaded for the Western Balkan countries to join as soon as possible and announced that he wanted to work for more efficient "decision-making mechanisms within the EU".

Major crises were often the impetus for new beginnings and change, said the Chancellor, and stated that it was shown that "in a crisis we surpass ourselves".

The CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader, Friedrich Merz, complained that the federal budget for this year did not reflect the requirements of a “turning point” as Chancellor Scholz had invoked.

If the analysis of such an epochal break is correct, then Scholz must “also lead visibly and audibly”.

However, the financial figures presented did not reflect the consequences of the Russian attack on Germany and the world.

Merz demands "permanently" two percent for defense

Merz predicted declining economic growth, rising inflation, lower tax revenues and growing government spending.

With a view to the planned 100 billion euro special budget for the Bundeswehr, Merz presented a catalog of demands that would have to be met so that the Union faction could agree to a planned amendment to the Basic Law to set up the budget.

He demanded that the 100 billion should only be used for investments in the Bundeswehr, "and for nothing else".

The threshold set by NATO for spending on defense amounting to 2 percent of economic power must be “permanently achieved”.

There must also be an amortization plan for the debts of the special budget.

Finally, the CDU/CSU also wanted to be permanently involved in an "accompanying committee" in which the individual investment decisions for new military equipment would be made.

Merz said the opposition would not provide "a blank check" to the government.

He announced a hard demarcation for all other legislative projects of the traffic light coalition.

The Union faction will not help out with "substitute players" if the government does not find its own majority for its projects.

This also applies to the amendment to the Basic Law, which is intended to justify the additional budget for the Bundeswehr.

Merz promised that if its demands were met, the Union would only provide as many votes as would result in a two-thirds majority together with the full voting strength of the coalition.

Scholz: "Putin must hear the truth"

The Federal Chancellor expressly thanked "Dear Mr. Merz" for the conditional support.

Scholz went even further in a demonstrative willingness to compromise.

He said that "we will continue to talk" about the design of the investment program.

In addition, it is "completely fine that you formulate your ideas".

Scholz mentioned his telephone conversations with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, with whom he had "repeatedly exchanged views", and with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who "needed to hear the truth" that with his war he was not only hurting Ukraine, but also Destroy Russia's future.

He tried to dispel suspicious assumptions that Germany and France might want to force an unreasonable ceasefire on Ukraine.

Scholz said that "no one can say" whether the current talks between representatives of Ukraine and Russia could lead to success.

In any case, it is clear that "the Ukrainians are negotiating and no one else".