Santiago de Chile.
On his trip to South America, the chancellor caught up with the fighter jet debate in Chile. Olaf Scholz has a clear demand on the subject.
After the battle tank decision, the Chancellor does not want to have a fighter jet discussion: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has brought an end to the debate about supporting Ukraine fighter jets required. “Everything has really been said about it now. Me too, ”said Scholz on Sunday evening. There should be no “outbidding competition”. Questions as important as the supply of weapons must be weighed up “rationally”.
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The Chancellor made the comments during a visit to the Chilean capital, Santiago de Chile. scholz had already ruled out the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine or even the deployment of ground troops when he announced the delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks last Wednesday. However, while the chancellor was on a trip to South America over the weekend, the debate in Germany continued.
Fighter jets: SPD leader Esken is not as clear as Scholz
This was also ensured by statements by the SPD chairmen Saskia Esken, who formulated the question less clearly than her chancellor. It is important “that we keep evaluating the current situation,” said Esken on the ARD program “Report from Berlin”.
When asked if they delivery of fighter planes ruled out, the SPD leader replied: “It is very important that Germany and that NATO does not become a party to the war.” Esken added: “These are important considerations that play a role and that’s why, I can only repeat that, we are in very, very close consultation with the Americans on these issues.”
Ukraine’s head of state Selenskyj calls for further help
So far, the federal government has always decided together with the USA when they want more weapon systems delivered to Ukraine. This was also the case with western main battle tanks in the past. After that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the allies to deliver fighter jets.
The foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Jürgen Hardt, warned the federal government against supplying weapons to the Ukraine to draw red lines. “Excluding things only benefits the Kremlin,” Hardt told this editorial team when asked about a delivery of German fighter jets. “Ukraine’s military needs should be our point of reference.” And that is currently clear: “Maintain air defense against Russian drone terror and the momentum in the reconquest of territory by western battle tanks.”
Scholz: Questions about fighter jets are “domestically” motivated
In Chile, Scholz called it “idiosyncratic” that the debate about the delivery of fighter jets would continue. The Chancellor suspected that “domestic political motives” were in the foreground for some, not that support Of Ukraine. “What we need now is a serious debate in which what needs to be decided will be decided,” said Scholz at a press conference with Chilean President Gabriel Boric.
Scholz confirmed his rejection for the delivery of fighter jets and pointed out that he, together with US President Joe Biden, had already rejected the establishment of no-fly zones at the beginning of the war “because that would have led to a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.” Such a no-fly zone would have to be under be enforced with the use of fighter jets, among other things. “We also rejected such nonsensical requests as ground troops,” emphasized Scholz.
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