Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sharply rejected statements by US Vice President JD Vance in favor of the AfD and forbid every interference in the German election campaign. National Socialism and its monstrous crimes were downplayed as a “bird shit in German history” from the ranks of the AfD, said the SPD politician at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). A commitment to the “never again”, as Vance did this on Thursday when visiting the Dachau concentration camp memorial, cannot be reconciled with the support for the AfD.
“That is why we will not accept it if outsiders intervene in our democracy, in our elections, in democratic opinion formation,” said Scholz. “That doesn’t belong – certainly not among friends and allies and we definitely reject that.” The Chancellor added: “We decide how to proceed with our democracy.”
Vance had warned of “fire walls” in Europe “
Vance had sharply attacked the European allies on Friday in his speech at the MSC and warned of a threat to democracy. He indirectly referred to the German debate about a delimitation from the AfD: “There is no place for fire walls.” At the sidelines of the conference, he also met AfD boss Alice Weidel. There was no meeting with Scholz. This was attributed to the difficulties of appointments by the Chancellery.
Scholz for strengthening the Ukrainian armed forces
In his speech, Scholz also went into the Russian attack war against Ukraine. In the negotiations with Russia, Ukraine must pay attention to “sovereign independence”. In addition, the country must be enabled to make peace with extensive military aid to effective self -defense.
“At the end of every negotiating solution, Ukraine must have armed forces with whom it can ward off any renewed Russian attack. Financial, material and logistically, this becomes an enormous challenge,” said the SPD politician. The Europeans and transatlantic partners would be used for this.
A victory of Russia or a collapse of Ukraine would not create peace, warned Scholz. Even a dictation peace will never find the support of Germany. “We will not get involved in any solution that leads to decoupling European and American security,” he said.
Scholz again to suspend the debt brake
Scholz again spoke out for the exposure of the debt brake to finance further billion dollar aids for Ukraine and an increase in defense spending. For this, three -digit billions would be needed by the end of this decade. “Anyone who claims that this can be saved from the current budget by a small cut here or there does not tell the citizens the truth,” said Scholz in the direction of the opposition leader Friedrich Merz without calling him.
Hour of the campaigners at the security conference
At the Munich Security Conference, the hour of the campaigners today: According to Scholz (SPD), Merz (CDU) and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) will perform on the main stage of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof. As a candidate for chancellor in their party, everyone moves into the federal election on February 23.
Alice Weidel – Chancellor candidate of the AfD – is not welcome at the security conference, but she still came to Munich. And met there with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday. FDP top candidate Christian Lindner also announced in Munich – but has no appearance on the big stage.
Conference director Christoph Heusgen, as in the previous year, excluded the security conference, as well as the fact that both parties did not correspond to the basic principle “Peace Through Dialogue, peace through dialogue” of the conference.
Mood even before the conference at low point
Trump had promoted the mood between the United States and Europe to a low point before the conference. First he snubbed the EU with the announcement of punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum. Then he brought a large part of his allies to the barricades with his sensational phone call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and an unmistaked negotiation offer.
That is why it should also be possible in today’s speech by the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, who talks between Scholz and Merz. Vance had left the topic out of his appearance.
