Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has expressed incomprehension about the protest actions of the climate movement "Last Generation".
He didn't want to hide the fact that he didn't understand many of the group's actions "because they distracted too much from the actual topic," said Scholz in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
It's not "about tomato soup or mashed potatoes, not just about a speed limit," said Scholz, adding: "We have to stop man-made climate change without endangering the economic prospects of the citizens.
Otherwise it won't work.” Scholz said that he recently had representatives of the movement as guests at one of his citizen dialogues.
"We talked to each other - and stuck to our different views," said the Chancellor.
"The Bundeswehr has a first-class defense minister"
Scholz also said that he assumes that Germany's gas supply will also be secured in the winter of 2023/24.
"We can assume that, like this year, if nothing unforeseen happens," said Scholz.
For the winter of 2022/23, Scholz had repeatedly assured that there would probably be no shortage.
The Chancellor announced that he intends to press ahead with the construction of new LNG terminals in the coming year.
And he hopes for further supply contracts.
"The federal government is in constant contact with the gas importers and is also promoting the conclusion of long-term contracts," he said.
Most of the gas will come from Norway, the United States and the Gulf region, with a small portion from the Netherlands.
The Federal Chancellor (both SPD) defended Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht against criticism.
"The Bundeswehr has a first-class defense minister," said Scholz.
"I can only be surprised at some of the criticism." It is now a matter of strengthening the Bundeswehr in the long term and reliably equipping it with weapons and ammunition.
"The Bundeswehr special fund puts us in a position to make the right strategic decisions now."