AreaRead the video transcript here
During an appearance by Olaf Scholz at the SPD's Europe Festival last Friday, the chancellor was disturbed by whistles and screams. Some in the square chanted, among other things, "warmongers," "Get out!" or "We are the people!" The Chancellor defended the support for Ukraine – loudly:
Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor:
"I would like to respond to a few arguments that are being shouted so loudly here. Firstly, the warmonger, the warmonger is Putin. He invaded Ukraine with 200,000 soldiers. He mobilized many more. He has risked the lives of his own citizens for an imperialist dream. Putin wants to destroy Ukraine, conquer it, and he has others in mind. As friends of freedom, as democrats and as Europeans, we will not allow this to happen. While you are shouting, "Make peace without weapons," Putin has pulled together an incredible number of tanks, missiles, cruise missiles and pointed them at Ukraine. He destroys cities. He destroys villages. It destroys railway lines and highways. And he has killed an incredible number of citizens, children and the elderly in Ukraine. And that's part of it, too. In his liberalist dream of Hausmann as a great power, he is risking the lives of his own citizens. We don't know how many young Russian soldiers have already died for his dream. But it can be from 100 to 150000. How can you deal with the lives of your own young people in this way? Just because you want to be a great man. This is irresponsible. This is warmongering. This is violence with weapons."
Wladimir Klitschko was impressed by the performance and tweeted:
"It's nice that the Chancellor finds these clear words, and I am also personally moved by how emotionally @Bundeskanzler reacts to Putin's friends. Thank you, Olaf Scholz, for defending us so resolutely!«