Call for Germany to deliver weapons directly to Ukraine

"The German government must now clarify direct tank deliveries to Kiev".

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After her visit to Odessa, Katrin Göring-Eckardt calls for more weapons for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia - also in response to the renewed shelling of the city's port.  Putin must be dissuaded from his "insane campaign", says the Bundestag Vice-President.

Ms Göring-Eckardt, you have just been to Odessa and seen the situation on the ground.  There is now an agreement with Russia on Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea.  Is that a reason to hope for peace negotiations in the near future?

Obviously not.  On Friday, the grain agreement was signed and on Saturday, the Port of Odessa was attacked.  Putin is not to be trusted.  This is the next breach with the United Nations.  This cannot go unanswered.  Putin is deceiving not only Ukraine but also the global community. We have been experiencing this, especially Ukraine of course, since 2014. This nonsensical Russian war, which is contrary to international law, is in a decisive phase. It is now important to be completely clear and to fully support Ukraine and thus defend our shared freedoms.

What response to the missile attack do you have in mind?

Ukraine needs more air defence.  It needs to get sufficient weapons even faster. And the international community should examine whether sanctions against Russia can be specifically tightened to dissuade Putin from his insane campaign.

UN Secretary General, Guterres and Turkish President, Erdogan have mediated in the negotiations on the grain agreement.  Could Erdogan, who has ties to both Russia and Ukraine, be a mediator for a peace process?

Yesterday I said: anyone who can help should help. With the rupture of the agreement less than 24 hours later, I see no basis for peace negotiations at the moment. Putin must accept that Ukraine retains its territorial integrity.  Then negotiations will make sense.

Can Germany play a mediating role?

I see our role now above all in organising sufficient support for Ukraine with weapons - these must actually arrive.

Good keyword: Poland has accused the German government of "deception" in the planned tank supply ring exchange for Ukraine. Germany was not delivering as expected.

The Polish statement may have been undiplomatic, but it is a wake-up call. Germany must act. The German government already sees a need for re-adjustment. The supply ring exchange is not working as planned. The Foreign Minister is right to say that we have to look at how we can become active in other ways if the previous way was not correct. Alternatives must be on the table. For example, supplying weapons directly, if we can. That is the task of the German government in the next few days.

Would you be in favour of a direct delivery of tanks to Ukraine? That is precisely what the German government has not wanted so far.

If it can be done faster and we or other partners can do it.

Who is sleeping in Germany? Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht? The Bundeswehr? German industry?

Industry wants to sell. I cannot imagine that it is asleep. And of course the Ministry of Defence will immediately clarify what is lacking. I want this to be clarified quickly. It makes a difference whether weapons are delivered or not. Russia did not achieve its immediate strategic goals because Ukraine was equipped with the necessary and right weapons. It needs more of these. Weapons deliveries help decide how long the war will last and how many lives will be lost. And, of course, a quick end to the war is to be hoped for.

What security guarantees would Europe have to give Ukraine after the end of the war?

Guarantees are already needed now. One of the security guarantees is the path to the EU. The candidate status alone means that we support Ukraine and also militarily - beyond NATO membership, which Ukraine no longer aspires to. A security guarantee, however, is also that we already provide all reconstruction assistance and no longer take our eyes off Ukraine and allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking that it is constantly threatened by Russia. This mistake was fatally made after 2014. Things will remain fragile on this European external border.

One of the effects of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is the debate about whether the last three nuclear power plants should run longer than until the end of the year. Should the reactors remain connected to the grid? Economics Minister Habeck is currently reviewing the situation again.

It is a per se absurd debate by those who have brought us into the difficult dependence on fossil fuels and on Russia. They are now asking us Greens to jump over our shadows. That is a strong play. We have shown that we can react appropriately to reality when it comes to arms deliveries. And the environmentalist's heart bleeds when gas supplies are needed and coal-fired power plants have to be used longer than planned. I would like to see such a readiness for a realistic policy from others as well. The few months of more electrical energy due to a slightly longer operating time of the three nuclear power plants do not help at all. We would do better to ask ourselves how we can save energy sustainably. That alone would make it possible for us to do without nuclear power.

And will it happen?

We must also consider the safety aspect. Nuclear power plants are not safe. They can be attacked and all it takes is a small plane. Then, we would have a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions in Germany. Half of the nuclear power plants in France are not in operation right now because it is too hot outside and the reactors cannot be cooled. We cannot give a safety discount for a high-risk technology.