German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has shown herself openly in favor of Poland supplying its Leopard tanks to Ukraine, for which it needs Germany’s permission. “If we were asked, we would not stand in the way of that,” Baerbock said in an interview with French broadcaster LCI on Jan. 22, referring to the so-called end-use controls. At the same time, she stressed, “We have not been asked so far.”
The fact that Baerbock opened her mouth that way reflects that there are presently two governments within Germany: one with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Social Democrats, who are against pressing ahead with even more weapons deliveries to Ukraine; and the other one with the two coalition partners, Greens and Free Democrats, that are on the war-mongering side. Charging the latter two with irresponsible “blathering away,” SPD Bundestag group leader Rolf Mützenich (he is on the Ukrainian CCD hit list) reminded them that the final decision on weapons will be made by the Chancellor. New Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the same, adding that a decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev may be made at some time, but not now.
