John MacDougall / AFP
In my memory, this has never happened before in the history of post-war German parliamentarianism. On February 22, MPs rejected by a majority vote the opposition’s resolution demanding the delivery of modern Taurus missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers to Kiev. And immediately after that they supported (again, by a majority vote) a parallel document of the ruling coalition on the need to increase arms exports for Ukraine, including «additional necessary systems of long-range weapons and ammunition». In this version, «six-letter word» did not appear.
Let’s get to the bottom of it.
The draft demanding the delivery of Taurus, titled «On a real change of epochs in the foreign and security policy of the Federal Republic of Germany», was presented by the opposition CDU/CSU bloc.
«Ukraine is still not receiving the full amount of ammunition and other military aid needed to effectively repel Russian military aggression», CDU leader and head of the Conservative faction Friedrich Merz said, commenting on the document.
MP Jörg Nürnberger, representing SPD, said that the opposition, which brought its draft for discussion, put «the interests of the party and internal political struggle above the interests of the country». His words should be understood, apparently, as follows. Unburdened by the need to make responsible decisions, Merz, who is interested in changing the current government, is deliberately thickening the paint.
«The opposition’s project is purely party criticism. We will respond to your attack with a refusal. First the country, then the party, and only then personal interests», said Nürnberger.
“The Greens rebuked the Conservatives for their «dishonesty and unfair criticism of the actions of a government accused of sloppiness».
«Although for myself change is sometimes too slow, the way you present the situation as if nothing is being done is boorish», Sara Nanni responded.
Of the elected representatives of the parties of the ruling «traffic light» coalition, only the liberal Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), who is (by the way!) chair of the parliamentary defense committee, did something wrong. She supported the opposition’s draft solely because it contains a direct demand for the government to give, figuratively speaking, «Ukrainian shepherds a Taurus».
Now let’s turn to the resolution approved by the Bundestag, which was drafted by deputies of the three coalition parties. They emphasized the expansion of military aid to Ukraine. This document says about the supply of additional long-range weapons capable of «providing focused attacks on strategically important targets located far behind the rear of the Russian aggressor».
Military experts began to wonder, what kind of means are we talking about? After all, the Bundeswehr simply does not have any other long-range cruise missiles besides the Taurus.
The controversy revolved around this passage. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who was attending the meeting, admitted that he did not understand what kind of weapons they were talking about. He advised to ask the authors of the resolution about it. Three times the ruling party lawmakers who went to the podium were asked the same question by their opponents: «So does the document include a requirement to supply cruise missiles?»
«Not necessarily. <…> The text can be interpreted in different ways. But the fact is clear: we did not draw ‘red lines’ in this place», Gabriela Heinrich (SPD) found a way out.
«I am in favor of supply, but it is up to the Federal Security Council to decide», says Agnieszka Brugger (Greens). The Federal Security Council, a body that does not meet regularly but as needed, consists of only seven members: the chancellor, the foreign minister and five other ministers.
In principle, her party colleague Robin Wagener was also in favor of supplying Taurus.
He, however, reproached the opposition for being «stuck on one weapons system», while the resolution of the coalition parties «sets a strategic direction for the government».
As for the document adopted by the Bundestag, 382 deputies voted in favor of it (736 mandates in total). Against were mainly representatives of the Left Party, the breakaway «Union of Sahra Wagenknecht» and the «Alternative for Germany».
«I always ask myself: do the people who are involved in this now really not know at all how things ended when Germany or big crazy politicians in Germany brought war to Russian territory twice in history», MP Sahra Wagenknecht said from the parliamentary rostrum. Regarding the Taurus, she called on politicians to «come to their senses».
In fact, everything rests with Scholz, who is extremely cautious and acts with an eye on the overseas sovereign. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit made it clear that the Chancellor still rejects the idea of transferring cruise missiles. What reasons he has in this regard, we will soon find out. However, it is not the first time that the head of the Berlin cabinet has crossed «red lines». If the Americans do decide to equip Ukraine with high range ATACMS missiles, the Chancellor will immediately become more accommodating. The basis for such a decision has already been established.