FAZ early thinkers: What weapons does Ukraine need?

1. Crisis of leadership in the Left Party

2. Donbass offensive influences western arms deliveries

3. Baerbock in Estonia and Lithuania

1. Leadership crisis in the Left Party

Tatyana Heid

Deputy Editor-in-Chief for News and Politics Online.

• Follow I follow

First the disastrous Saarland elections, then the revelations about sexist attacks and now the resignation of one of the two party leaders: the crisis in the Left Party is coming to a head.

"I apologize":

The Left Party must reorganize its leadership.

Federal Chairwoman Susanne Hennig-Wellsow resigned from her position with immediate effect on Wednesday.

Previously, revelations about sexist attacks in the Hessian state association, which, among other things, affect the former partner of the second chairman Janine Wissler, plunged the party into horror.

"I apologize to those affected and support all efforts that are now necessary to make the left a party in which sexism has no place," wrote Hennig-Wellsow in a statement, which also included private reasons for her stated resignation.

The former chairwoman of the Thuringian state association has led the party since February last year, and she has repeatedly aroused resentment.

More and more people affected:

This Thursday, the Hessian left wants to inform about the further procedure in dealing with the allegations.

However, the scale of the attacks has widened.

The federal chairman of the youth organization of the party "Solid", Jan Schiffer, now speaks of 60 people affected.

The allegations range from sexist sayings to rape and affect almost all state associations.

The accused are those responsible in the party, but also simple members of the grassroots.

The youth organization calls for a complete reorganization of the party.

Questions for Wissler:

It says a lot that Hennig-Wellsow of all people is resigning - while "various perpetrators and criminal protection officers" are still in office, said "Solid" chairwoman Sarah Dubiel.

Questions arise above all for Wissler, who according to her own statements was not aware of the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power before November 2021 and claims to have acted immediately after the allegations became known.

However, one of those affected states that he had already contacted Wissler for help in August 2018.

Calls for Wissler's resignation - the party that wants to lead the party alone for the time being after Henning-Wellsow's resignation - have already been rejected by faction leader Dietmar Bartsch.

He called on his party to stop waging "internal wars".

2. Donbass offensive affects western arms supplies

Western countries have announced supplies that until recently were considered unthinkable.

The Russian offensive changes warfare.

Once taboo:

The first western states – including the United States, Great Britain and Canada – have announced that they will support the Ukrainian defenders with weapons that were previously unthinkable: howitzers, air defense systems and combat drones, armored vehicles, helicopters and tanks.

So heavy weapons, which in the first weeks of the war there was a concern that they could provoke Russia and lead to an escalation of the conflict.