Chancellor Scholz’s SPD says “more intelligent solutions” to Ukraine crisis are needed
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has pledged to support the government in Kiev with money and weapons no matter what, but some members of his own party are now calling for a peace initiative as well, Der Spiegel reported on Friday. The outlet reports that several SPD Parliamentarians met in Dresden to discuss the need for peace and diplomacy.
“We need a peace initiative from the SPD,”Bernd Westphal is the party’s spokesperson on economic policy issues. He reportedly spoke at the meeting and called for “more intelligent solutions”Rather than the war that destroys infrastructure and lives, and leaves everyone in poverty.
“The SPD is the peace party and must provide an impetus for it,”According to Der Spiegel, Westphal claimed that he was arguing. Ralf Stegner and Nina Scheer were also members of the Bundestag. Stegner stated that Germany must be involved in diplomacy and politics, not just a role as a weapon supplier.
Emmanuel Macron (French President) also defended diplomacy during a Thursday speech, telling his diplomats no one needs it. “Turkey to be the only world power that is talking to Russia.”After the February conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalated into February, Kiev and Eastern EU member countries have criticized him for his phone calls to Moscow.
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Germany will back Ukraine ‘no matter what voters think’ – FM
While no one at the SPD meeting in Dresden objected to the calls for peace, MP Michael Roth – who chairs the foreign affairs committee – later denounced his colleagues’ statements to Der Spiegel.
“It’s not as if there hasn’t been a variety of diplomatic efforts,” Roth said, claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “psychological warfare is aimed precisely at our fears. He wants to divide our societies and delegitimize our support for Ukraine.”
The Russian president doesn’t want peace, Roth insisted, so SPD members advocating for it are “falling into his trap again.”
Earlier this week, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock – member of the Greens, a junior partner in Scholz’s “traffic light” coalition – told a conference in Prague she intends to support Ukraine “no matter what my German voters think,” even if they take to the streets this winter because they can’t afford the skyrocketing energy bills.