German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Social Democratic party (SPD) on Sunday condemned a statement by a member of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) who claimed the chancellor planned a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Had made.
CDU foreign affairs and security expert Roderich Kiesewetter had posted on Twitter a day earlier, saying the alleged meeting was scheduled to take place ahead of German elections in February.
“We must prepare for the surprises of an election campaign that now appears to have been wiped out,” Kiesewetter reportedly wrote in that post. He suggested that Scholz travel to Moscow for the meeting.
How did the SPD react?
Both Scholz and his party condemned Post and Kiesewetter. Government spokesman Stefan Habstreit denied planning any such trip.
“It would make no sense,” a government spokesman told the Editorial Network Germany (RND) media group. He described the comment as “offensive”.
Habestreit said “legal steps” would be taken against the CDU politician.
Scholz also sharply criticized Kiesewetter’s post, calling it a “false accusation” in a press conference and describing it as “grossly inappropriate.”
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miers said the claim was “appalling and cowardly”. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich described it as “pure fabrication”. Both demanded that Kiesewetter, who is also a member of the Bundestag, retract his statement and apologize to Scholz.
Mutzenich called on CDU party leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz to intervene.
“With such pure fabrications, the leading representatives of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are clearly trying to formulate arguments against Olaf Scholz’s sensitive foreign policy course,” Mutzenich said of the CDU’s conservative bloc and its Bavarian sister party. Said referring to the party. Christian Social Union (CSU).
Despite Putin’s earlier calls, Scholz stressed support for Ukraine
Earlier in November, Scholz spoke to Putin by phone for the first time in nearly two years. The call was criticized by Kiev as well as some Eastern European NATO partners.
Speaking to reporters during an SPD presidium meeting on Sunday, Scholz did not rule out the possibility of another telephone call with Putin, “if it could perhaps bring at least a little benefit.”
The Chancellor nevertheless stressed that Germany remains Ukraine’s “biggest supporter” in the fight against Russian aggression.
Scholz also said, “We must prevent this war from turning into a war between Russia and NATO.”
rmt/sms (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
