Friedrich Merz calls weapons release for Ukraine « necessary »

Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended the cancellation of the restrictions on the use of German weapons in the Ukraine war against criticism from the ranks of the coalition partner SPD. Ukraine has the right to use the weapons available to them, also against targets in Russian territory. « In my view, this is necessary, » said Merz during a visit to Finland. « Because if you only ward off an attack on your own territory, you cannot defend yourself enough. »

While individual SPD members criticized Merz for his advance, the CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter used the statement to penetrate the delivery of German Taurus marching skills. « Taurus could at least partially bring relief and thus protect the civilian population in Ukraine if the system is delivered in large numbers, » he wrote to X.

Scholz only released weapons for a specific area

Merz had declared on Monday at the WDR European European in Berlin that for the weapons delivered by Germany and other allies to Ukraine, there are no longer any restrictions on the reach and thus the use against Russian territory. The statement means a change of course to his predecessor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

Last year he had allowed German weapons to be used such as the multiple rocket launcher Mars II against positions in the Russian field for the region around the competitive city of Charkiw. As a result, however, he had spoken out, unlike Great Britain and France, until the election campaign against an additional abolition of the operating restrictions.

Klingbeil: « No new appointment »

Merz is now decided by his predecessor’s Ukraine policy for the first time. The trigger for this was obviously the unsuccessful efforts for a ceasefire in the Ukraine War and the massive Russian air strikes on weekends.

The extent to which the step is coordinated with the coalition partner SPD remained open. Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD) already opposed the impression of a change of course on Monday: « There is no new appointment that goes beyond what the previous government has done. »

Stegner and hat criticize Merz

The SPD foreign politician Ralf Stegner called the lifting of the restrictions « not helpful ». Everything that is expanding the war is wrong, Stegner told the Editorial Network Germany (RND). « Rather, I find it right to strengthen the diplomatic efforts. »

Former SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich said on Deutschlandfunk that the range limitation was correct. He still had many questions to the Chancellor. « I would ask the federal government to participate in the diplomatic efforts at the moment, » said Mützenich. It is obvious that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin escalate, so everything has to be done to underpin the process of negotiations through further diplomatic initiatives.

« All diplomatic means exploited »

The Chancellor, on the other hand, emphasized: « The accusation that not all diplomatic means have exhausted that there is, nobody can seriously make us. » The past three weeks have shown that joint efforts by the EU, Great Britain and the United States to a break of fire have so far not been successful.

Russia obviously has no interest in it at the moment. « This means that Ukraine must continue to defend itself and that we have to strengthen our efforts so that Ukraine can defend itself. »

Support for Merz ‘course came from the Greens. Her vice -member leader Agnieszka Brugger said: « With new cruelty, Wladimir Putin bombs all peace efforts and discussions in the ground.

Initially no concrete effects

Operately, Merz’s announcement will initially have no concrete effects, since Germany has hardly delivered any weapons with which the Ukrainian armed forces can hit Russian positions far behind the front line. The rocket launcher Mars II with a range of 85 kilometers and the Panzerhaubitzen 2000 with a range of 35 kilometers are the only two weapon systems. So it is more of a political sign to support Ukraine’s military approach against goals on Russian territory.

Berlin has not yet delivered the Taurus marching missile with a range of 500 kilometers-it was the trigger of the German reach debate. The United States, France and Great Britain, on the other hand, have provided the Ukrainian armed forces with a range of sometimes more than 250 kilometers, which are said to have been used against Russian territory, according to media reports.