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Former Chancellor Schröder about Scholz: “I hope I don’t harm him with this”

Photo: Jens Schulze / epd / IMAGO

The Chancellor will hardly be happy about this praise: former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder supported Chancellor Olaf Scholz's no to the delivery of Taurus rockets to Ukraine and the fundamental rejection of sending ground troops.

"I think Olaf Scholz is doing what I would expect from a German chancellor at the moment," said former SPD leader Schröder to the dpa news agency.

At the same time, he called for a German-French initiative for negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

When asked whether he would like a “Peace Chancellor” Scholz, the 79-year-old said: “Yes, I would like that.” He added: “If someone as German Chancellor advocates for peace, if someone as “Peace Chancellor “is described, is that negative?”

Union calls on Scholz to change course

The Union used the statements to call on Scholz to change course on the Taurus issue.

"Being praised and co-opted by Gerhard Schröder clearly shows that he is on the wrong path," said CSU leader Markus Söder.

"I would urgently think about it again, and as Chancellor I would really resist this praise." CDU executive committee member Jens Spahn said: "Anyone who has friends and supporters like the ex-chancellor and Putin friend Gerhard Schröder needs it Actually no political enemies anymore.”

more on the subject

  • Weapons for Ukraine: Scholz justifies rejection of Taurus delivery

  • Scholz on his Taurus decision: "I am the Chancellor, and that's why this applies"

  • Survey in the Bundestag: Scholz reiterates no to Taurus delivery to Ukraine

Deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann reacted calmly to Schröder's statements: She did not believe that the statements would influence Scholz "in any way."

"The Federal Chancellor's position on the question of supporting Ukraine is very clear."

Schröder also defends Mützenich for saying “freeze war”.

Schröder also defended the SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, who was also sharply criticized from within the ranks of the traffic light coalition for his statement about freezing the war.

»It seems to me that the SPD parliamentary group leader, Mr. Rolf Mützenich, is on the right track.

His position should be supported by the party and parliamentary group,” demanded the former Chancellor.

Mützenich asked last Thursday in the Bundestag debate about a Taurus delivery: "Isn't it time that we not only talk about how to fight a war, but also think about how to freeze a war and later too can finish?"

Schröder has been friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin since he was chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and continues to work for the majority Russian companies on the Nord Stream pipelines through the Baltic Sea.

Although he has called the Russian attack on Ukraine a mistake, he still maintains his friendship with Putin.

He is therefore excluded from the SPD leadership, but a party expulsion procedure against him failed.

Three weeks ago, Scholz justified his rejection of a delivery of Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometers by saying that Germany could be drawn into the war.

Shortly afterwards, he clearly opposed French President Emmanuel Macron's call to leave sending ground troops to Ukraine as an option on the table.

“I hope I don’t harm him with this.”

Schröder shares both of the Chancellor's positions.

»Those are two determinations he made.

I support you.

And I hope I don't harm him with this," he told dpa.

He defended the Chancellor against criticism that he was playing into Putin's hands by saying no to Taurus.

“That’s simply ridiculous,” said Schröder.

»I can't take these attacks that play a role seriously.

Neither from Ms. Strack-Zimmermann nor from others.”

The chairwoman of the Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, is considered the strongest critic of the Taurus no in the traffic light coalition and even voted for two Union motions calling for the delivery of the cruise missiles.

Schröder doesn't have any tips on how Scholz should deal with the critics in the traffic lights.

»This is not a matter that I have to solve, but that the Chancellor has to solve.

I think their positions are wrong.

I think Olaf Scholz’s is correct.”

mfh/dpa