At the end, the chancellor takes selfies.

For an hour and a half, Olaf Scholz answered questions from 150 citizens who had won a place at the "Chancellor Talks" in Marburg by drawing lots.

Now almost everyone wants a photo with him.

With a sovereign smile, the Chancellor fulfills this wish of the sovereign.

"Good evening," he says quietly in farewell, before the next person steps up next to him to be photographed.

"There is no better grounding" than such talks, Scholz said when he was greeted in the old engine shed where the "Chancellor Talks" take place.

"I hope it criss-crosses all the topics."

Luke Fuhr

Editor in Politics.

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After all, the citizens fulfill this hope for the chancellor at the beginning, asking questions about the speed limit (cannot be done because of the FDP, says Scholz), about children's rights in the Basic Law (needs the consent of the Union, says Scholz) and about what Scholz wants to do that " the older generation will not be left behind when it comes to digitization (“My mother sends me text messages,” says the chancellor and promises that there will always be other ways of contacting the authorities for those who find it too digital).

Question for diplomatic solution

But then there are more and more questions about the war against Ukraine, German arms aid, and the fear that war could be getting closer.

Times have changed in Marburg too.

There is applause for the first time in the hall when a man asks whether it would not be better "to seek talks with Russia" than to keep supplying weapons.

"I am very glad that you asked me this question," the Chancellor replies.

Russia may have intended to conquer all of Ukraine.

“We cannot accept that,” says Scholz.

“Diplomacy – I am very much in favor of that.

That's why I'm one of the very few who keep on the phone with Putin.” But as long as the warlord in the Kremlin doesn't withdraw his troops, support for the attacked Ukraine is the right thing to do.

There is also applause for this answer.

But not everyone in the three oval rows in which the citizens sit to the left and right of Scholz is happy with that.

An elderly gentleman accuses the chancellor that NATO's eastward expansion has provoked Russia.

This provokes the chancellor: "If you use this sentence to say this war is justified..." The questioner interrupts him: "No, I'm not saying that", only to be interrupted again by Scholz.

"Good.

I hope that they say this sentence every day, namely: This war was caused by Russia.”

Scholz justifies NATO eastward expansion

The chancellor nods when he thinks that's settled and then explains why he thinks NATO's eastward expansion is the right thing to do – would one really have wanted to deny the countries in Eastern Europe accession after they asked for it as free democracies?

In any case, emphasizes Scholz, NATO is a defensive alliance.

In connection with the Russian attack on Ukraine, one should not act "as if the word "NATO eastward expansion" was somehow an argument."

Then Scholz switches to a concentrated conversational tone: "I was in Moscow, I was in Kyiv before the war began and spoke to Selenskyj.

I said: NATO accession is really not on the agenda now.

When I was standing next to Putin, I even said, 'It won't be on the agenda for 30, 40 years.' The citizens listen, a bit hilariously, as Scholz, with a smile, mentions the 'seven meter long table' at which Putin placed him.

But then the chancellor becomes serious again.

"It was all a ploy for a long-conceived plan to expand Russian territory by force."

Praise for hesitant attitude

A little later, a questioner praises the chancellor.

"I'm glad you're so hesitant about the war.

I'm grateful for that, continue on this course.” And if you're already talking to each other face to face, can the chancellor tell her when Putin will end the war?

Scholz says: "That's a difficult answer to formulate," and adds, "The Russian President must understand that he will not win this war." He will say sentences like this a few more times in the evening.

Scholz is saying what he's been saying for weeks and months: don't leave Ukraine alone, but don't support it alone either.

Weapons deliveries must be coordinated with partners, above all with America.

When the 90 minutes are over, almost all citizens applaud and line up almost as one for the photo with Scholz.

"It's not bad that this event exists, but it's not a dialogue," says a Marburg student.

A teacher, on the other hand, praises: "The chancellor is more relaxed than in the reports about him." He took his photo with Scholz.