German Bundestag, Plenarprotokoll 21/86, p. 10491.
Frau President. Ladies and gentlemen.
Erich Maria Remarque’s best known novel ends with the protagonist Paul
Baümer dying at the front while the army’s report for that day announces
„Im Westen nichts Neue“ [All Quiet on the Western Front]. The mass
death in the trenches was by then nothing new.
The war in the Ukraine meanwhile lasts longer than the First World War.
There will have died in 52 months hundreds of thousands. In the east,
nothing new and no end in sight. We are accustomed to it. On the contrary:
The Ukraine’s drone attacks far into the Russian hinterland awake brave
hopes of some of those who dream of forcing back the Russians to Crimea,
and perhaps even throwing them out of Crimea. I think that the Ukraine,
in the sense of a reconstruction of the status quo ante, cannot win this war.
And for us, the war financially becomes the last straw. Self-evidently is
Germany again the largest payer in the EU: 40 billion for the war so far;
in addition, up to 35 billion for refugees. In the spring of 2026 alone, 4.2 billion
euros in military aid were transferred. We send money to the Ukraine
while in Germany poverty grows, the infrastructure rots, and the economy
shrinks. The most recent results from the Deutsche Bahn are like the
flaming writing on the wall. The Chancellor however has not rendered
his oath to the Ukraine. If the Ukraine wishes to continue fighting, that is its
good right, but not our business.
Jürgen Hardt (CDU/CSU): Now you let the cat out of the bag!
For it is simply not true that the Ukraine also defends our freedom.
Peter Beyer (CDU/CSU): Oh, yes!
It is no NATO member, and its fight is a fight over the formation of the
post-Soviet, indeed post-Czarist space. Even if we hold it to be false,
it is the empire of Peter the Great which Putin wants to reconstruct.
Knut Abraham (CDU/CSU): Aha!
And, as is known, that reaches not to the Gate of Berlin, indeed not even
to Warsaw.
Sara Nanni (Greens): Putin however speaks of coming to Berlin!
In German interest are the peace negotiations and an end of the war with
a compromise. Yet in that the Federal government despite our own
failures in the past – we here have discussed it – deals with Putin as solely
guilty and like a criminal,
Sara Nanni (Greens): Like a criminal? He is a criminal!
Jürgen Hardt (CDU/CSU): He is a criminal! He kidnapped 20,000
children!
and grants Russia no legitimate interests in this conflict, it makes a
compromise peace impossible.
The Ukrainian leadership wants to attain that the EU, better still the NATO
becomes a war participant. Apart from proximate risks for us, that would
for many years be the end of the peaceful relations with Russia. Cite:
“A Ukraine in the EU would block any reconciliation with
Russia in the future. And this reconciliation would
nevertheless be decisive for the future of Europe.”
End cite. The last two sentences stem not from me but from Klaus Dohnanyi,
my dear SPD.
The Ukraine war is not Germany’s war; yet all seek to make it that,
with exception of the Linke. Germany expanded its support step by step.
It began with helmets, with defensive armaments. Later came heavy weapons,
air defense systems, panzers, and the training of Ukrainian soldiers for that.
Now is again discussed whether we deliver Taurus cruise missiles whereby
Germany would be in danger of being responsible for an attack on Saint
Petersburg and Moscow. In the sense of the old formula “inter pacem et
bellum nihil medium”, we are long since combatants.
No, the world does not go under if in the future eastern Ukraine belongs to
Russia. It could however go under if the military escalation screws are
ever further turned.
Andreas Mattfeldt (CDU/CSU): Was that dictated by Putin?
Inconceivable!
There have always been spheres of influence. For the U.S.A., it is all of
North and South America, as laid down by the Monroe Doctrine since
1823. The U.S.A. acts accordingly and has always done so. Thus let us
stop binding our own hands with fairy tales of the equality of all states,
quite independent of their geopolitical situation. The end of the dying is
more important, ladies and gentlemen.
I am grateful.
[trans: tem]
