German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has announced new EU sanctions against Russia on the anniversary of the start of the war. The EU will support Ukraine “as long as necessary” against Russian attacks, Scholz said in a government statement in the German Bundestag on Wednesday, according to the speech manuscript. “Putin will not achieve his goals – neither on the battlefield nor through a dictated peace,” he added.
“As the European Union, we will tighten the sanctions against Russia again on the anniversary of the beginning of the war,” said Scholz, referring to the deliberations at the special EU summit on Thursday in Brussels and the anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
“Outbidding competition harms us”
Germany is one of Ukraine’s main financial supporters. “We are also far ahead in continental Europe when it comes to supplying weapons and ammunition,” emphasized Scholz in view of the debates about tank deliveries and criticism from Eastern Europe. The highest good of the western states is cohesion. “What harms our unity is a public outbidding competition along the lines of: main battle tanks, submarines, airplanes – who wants more?” the German chancellor warned at the same time.
Alluding to politicians in the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, Scholz also criticized “pithy domestic political statements and criticism of partners and allies on the open stage”. Dissonance and speculation about possible differences in interests were only of use to the Russian president and his propaganda.
Scholz again emphasized that despite all the help for Ukraine, NATO must not become a war party. Weapon deliveries will continue to be coordinated very closely with partners. He again promised Ukraine future EU membership.