Michael Brand travels to Kyiv with a group of 16 MPs. The CDU politician reports that Germany is now hard to speak to there. Chancellor Scholz will have a very difficult time during his visit to the war country.
The CDU member of the Bundestag and human rights policy spokesman for his parliamentary group, Michael Brand, believes that Germany’s reputation in Ukraine has been badly damaged after his return from Kyiv. “The Chancellor is taking a difficult step, even if he will be received diplomatically friendly in Kyiv,” Brand told the “Tagesspiegel” with a view to Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s planned visit to the country stricken by the Russian war in the next few days.
“It is a devastating assessment of the German position after 100 days of war between Russia and Ukraine.” The federal government is contributing to endangering peace in Europe, in that Scholz, contrary to public announcements by Ukraine, is refusing, tricking and deceiving the necessary help. “That’s the picture that prevails as an analysis in Ukraine,” Brand said, according to the report.
He was in Ukraine as part of a 16-strong delegation of MPs from EU countries, from the Baltic States to Portugal, holding talks with the government, parliament and advisers to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The problem would primarily affect the issue of arms deliveries and the lack of a clear commitment to EU membership.
“The Chancellor must finally take his oath of office seriously to avert harm to the German people, and must therefore actively ensure that the heavy weapons needed to defend Ukraine are delivered quickly,” said Brand. He must give up his blocking of export licenses for such weapons and work actively to ensure that Ukraine is now granted candidate status for the EU in order to be able to decide on accession in a few years’ time.
Referring to the Rheinmetall Group’s offer to supply up to 100 Marder infantry fighting vehicles and dozens of Leopard main battle tanks, Brand said Ukraine could sign contracts with German companies immediately if the Scholz blockade was lifted. “That’s the clear signal from the talks in the foreign and defense ministries in Kyiv. Ukraine doesn’t want anything for free.” Brand emphasized that the country wanted to pay for the weapons itself. “The contracts have long been on the table – the green light from Berlin is still missing. There is no longer any alibi for the Scholz blockade, it only exposes us to terrible suspicion and risks escalating a brutal war,” said Brand.
In addition, Ukraine now needs EU candidate status as an important political signal. “If that is denied, it would have a devastating effect, and champagne corks would pop in the Kremlin at the discouragement and fearfulness of the EU. An important contact for Ukraine used the following image: “This attack is like getting cancer: You don’t know if you survive – but candidate status gives hope.”
