German Chancellor Schulz dismisses critics’ concerns, supports stronger military deterrence – Euractiv

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday defended the country’s newly hawkish defense stance, pushing back against internal criticism and saying the times called for greater deterrence, not arms control.

Recently, the German government and the United States agreed to deploy American long-range missiles on German soil for the first time since the Cold War, as part of a broader effort to rebuild Germany’s security architecture.

Critics said the move marked an escalation and could make Germany a target for Russian retaliation.

Scholz dismissed those concerns, saying strengthening Germany’s military deterrence was a top priority to counter the Russian threat.

“Of course, we want to live in a world where arms control is once again very important. But the most important thing now is to ensure our security through the necessary deterrence so that war does not break out,” Schulz told reporters at the chancellor’s traditional news conference before the start of his summer vacation.

Despite this, he insisted he remained committed to peace.

“I do not agree with the arguments of right-wing and left-wing populists and some demagogues who believe that the only way to support peace is to propose Ukraine’s unconditional surrender,” he said.

The German government’s decision on the US missiles has been met with fierce rebuttal from within Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Rolf Mitznich, leader of the SPD parliamentary group in Germany, warned earlier this week: “The risk of an unintended military escalation is considerable.”

Uncomfortable with the “Zeitenwende”

The dispute highlights ongoing discontent in Germany over the country’s military buildup, which the chancellor called a “change of era” following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, assessments of the prime minister’s record on deterring and supporting Ukraine have been mixed. Security hawks in his coalition have repeatedly criticize Scholz believes the country’s support for resisting a Russian invasion is insufficient.

Despite mixed reviews for his decision, Scholz said he saw support from his party and stressed that he wanted to run again in the next national election in 2025.

“The SPD is a very united party. We are all determined to campaign together and win in the next federal election. I will run for chancellor again,” he said.

(Editing by Oliver Noyan)

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