This time, Friedrich Merz criticized Olaf Scholz for insufficient support for Ukraine and presented his own approaches to military aid.
In an interview with Capital, Merz stated that Germany should do more to support Ukraine, but at the same time, it is important to avoid direct involvement in the war. His position is that Germany should assist Ukraine in defending itself without crossing the "threshold of entering the war itself."
Merz discussed the potential supply of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. According to him, there are numerous debates within German society regarding this weaponry, but Scholz is currently reluctant to provide them. The opposition leader believes that a majority in the Bundestag supports the transfer of the missiles.
"The country is experiencing its third winter of war, the situation is unstable, and without American assistance, it will become even worse. Next year, we will face the question: do we really want to abandon Ukraine? The escalation is coming from Russia, not Ukraine," Merz emphasized.
An important part of the opposition leader's plan is a tougher approach towards Russia. The politician proposed an ultimatum to Moscow: if the Russian shelling of civilians does not cease within 24 hours, Germany should lift restrictions on the range of weapons that have already been supplied to Ukraine. If this does not yield results, he suggests providing Ukraine with Taurus missiles within a week.
When asked if he is willing to negotiate with Vladimir Putin, Merz replied that he is open to discussions in coordination with European and transatlantic partners. He noted that he does not harbor illusions about the effectiveness of such negotiations, recalling that after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Moscow, Russia ordered the bombing of a children's hospital in Kyiv.
Source: capital.
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