The SPD's Russia policy: Scholz complains about "slanderous representations"

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) sees no reason for his party to self-critically review its Russia policy over the past few years.

"Since Adenauer's time there have been these falsifying and slanderous representations of the SPD's European and Russian policy, which annoys me," Scholz said in an interview with "Spiegel" published on Friday.

Also addressing the interviewers, whom he accused of a “caricature”, Scholz said: “I support any discussion about future politics.

But I refuse that the ticket to a debate is a lie.”

"The Social Democratic Party is a party firmly integrated into the transatlantic alliance and the West, which does not have to accept the allegations that are being made," said Scholz.

He referred in particular to the détente policy of the SPD Chancellors Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt.

This "made it possible for the Iron Curtain to disappear, for many countries in Eastern Europe to win democracy and for us to be united in the European Union today".

It was always a policy that relied on a strong Bundeswehr and integration in the West, said Scholz.

"There must be no nuclear war"

When it came to the German reluctance to deliver weapons to Ukraine, Scholz justified this with the poor condition of the Bundeswehr equipment, among other things: "You can only deliver what you have and can give.

You have to take a close look at how usable which material really is – and when.

Scholz continued: "If I deliver a vehicle that can be shot through by any machine gun, that won't help the Ukrainian troops much." The austerity policy in the Bundeswehr in recent decades has left its mark.

"We're changing that," said Scholz.

Scholz again rejected an immediate gas embargo against Russia: “I don’t see at all that a gas embargo would end the war.

If Putin were open to economic arguments, he would never have started this insane war.” He also warned of the economic consequences for Germany: “They act as if we were about making money.

But the point is that we want to avoid a dramatic economic crisis, the loss of millions of jobs and factories that would never open again.

Scholz also confirmed that he wanted to prevent a direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia: "I'm doing everything to prevent an escalation that leads to a third world war.

There must be no nuclear war.”