The CDU leadership does not seem to have been particularly pleased with Angela Merkel's brief statement on her role as Njet sage for Ukraine's NATO accession.
The former chancellor said briefly and concisely that she stood by her decision to act as she did at the Bucharest NATO summit in 2008 and not otherwise.
At that time, Ukraine's rapprochement with NATO was postponed indefinitely, partly because of German resistance.
CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja dismissed criticism of Merkel, saying that she had clearly opposed the Russian war and that it would be presumptuous to claim that Merkel was complicit in the war in Ukraine.
If there had been talk of joint responsibility, would that have been just as presumptuous?
The Federal President had shown that there is another way.
In the light of his detailed self-criticism, a sentence by Czaja reads much more critical of Merkel than the rest of his supposed defense: "That's why I have great respect when incumbent politicians assess their responsibility differently at the time and also take responsibility for it."
It is only logical that the CDU leadership expressed the wish for Merkel to express herself in more detail (read: more appropriately) about her Russia policy.
However, it is unlikely that Merkel will oblige the CDU.
When the refugee crisis and the subsequent decline of the CDU were to be dealt with, she considered it "wasted time".
The need for self-criticism apparently stems from the fact that the CDU still has an inkling that it was once a party that differed in foreign policy from the SPD and its Willy Brandt nostalgia for detente.
The CDU and SPD now like to pretend that the common good of the Federal Republic is, as if “we” were all wrong.
But there was never a lack of warnings or criticism.
The tragically wasted time is behind us.