Germany: Olaf Scholz criticized for his government's policy towards Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a speech after a meeting with European leaders and the American President in Berlin, April 19, 2022. © Lisi Niesner/Pool/Reuters
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1 min
Germany remains the object of much criticism over the country's policy towards Ukraine.
In a long interview with the magazine
Der Spiegel
, Chancellor Olaf Scholz defends himself.
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With our correspondent in Berlin,
Pascal Thibaut
Germany hesitates and does not do enough: the criticism has been going on for weeks.
Chancellor Scholz is under attack abroad, starting with Ukraine, but also in his country and even within his coalition with the Greens and Liberals who would like a stronger commitment and in particular the delivery of heavy weapons to kyiv.
In
a long interview with
Der Spiegel
magazine ,
Olaf Scholz rejects these criticisms and recalls what his country has already done by delivering military equipment and supporting Ukraine financially.
But the reserves of the Bundeswehr are running out, explains the head of the German government.
It is more important for him to deliver Soviet-made heavy weapons that the Ukrainians have mastered rather than Western equipment.
Berlin will help its neighbors who will give tanks to kyiv.
Olaf Scholz also underlines the risks of such deliveries to avoid a direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia.
“
I am doing everything to avoid an escalation that would lead to a third world war.
There must be no atomic war.
»
The Christian Democrats want to table a bill next week in Parliament for the delivery of heavy weapons and hope to convince part of the Chancellor's majority.
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Germany
Olaf Scholz
Ukraine
Russia