It’s a very good wager
Vladimir Putin
hopes that, as his Ukraine warfare drags on, Western allies can be tempted to sacrifice Ukraine for the sake of ending the battle. So kudos to lawmakers in Berlin for staring down Mr. Putin’s many makes an attempt to bully Germany and others into negotiating a separate peace.
The German parliament on Thursday handed, 586-100, a decision calling on Chancellor
Olaf Scholz’s
authorities to step up its shipments of heavy weapons to Kyiv. The authorities on Tuesday lastly introduced it’ll ship Ukraine 50 Cheetah anti-aircraft tanks, though Mr. Scholz nonetheless is reluctant to ship different programs such because the Leopard tank.
The decision additionally contemplates negotiations towards a ceasefire, and this paragraph is as large a rebuff to Mr. Putin because the arms shipments. The decision calls for that Mr. Scholz’s authorities assist “all efforts by the Ukrainian government to reach a ceasefire in direct negotiations with the Russian leadership.” But, lawmakers added, “it must be clear that there can be no negotiations over the heads of the Ukrainians.”
This is a crucial message to Kyiv, the Kremlin, and Western allies. German lawmakers have now stated they gained’t be intimidated into stopping weapons shipments or speaking on to Mr. Putin. This is a part of a European development. French President
Emmanuel Macron,
as soon as considered one of Mr. Putin’s prime interlocutors, reportedly hasn’t spoken to Mr. Putin since March 29 and not too long ago unveiled a brand new spherical of heavy-arms shipments to Ukraine.
Mr. Scholz too typically has hesitated on heavy weapons and power sanctions. Perhaps he hasn’t been certain Ukraine may win. But as allies such because the U.S. more and more converse of the potential for victory, Berlin has even much less excuse to carry again. Lawmakers have signaled they need Germany to be a greater ally to Ukraine, and let’s hope the Chancellor listens.
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