When I was elected to the Bundestag in 2021, I would never have thought that a few months later the largest war in Europe since World War II would begin.
We all knew that the Corona pandemic was not over yet and that its consequences would keep us busy for a long time. But we didn’t know that we would suddenly have to deal with a war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine in violation of international law.
The war against Ukraine has destroyed many certainties. For a long time we believed that the path of change through convergence would work. Since February 24, 2022, this is no longer possible, at least for a long time.
Three points are particularly important to me about the war against Ukraine.
We stand by Ukraine and support the Ukrainian people in their struggle for their freedom and in defense of their sovereignty and integrity. That is why I am fully behind Germany’s financial and humanitarian support – and also behind the arms deliveries.
But it is equally important that we prevent the war from spreading and avoid an uncontrollable escalation between NATO and Russia. I am glad that the German government, under the leadership of our Chancellor Olaf Scholz, weighs every decision carefully and prudently and always seeks to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies in Europe and in NATO.
In addition, we must also alleviate the consequences of the war here in Germany. Of course, these are not nearly as bad as what the people of Ukraine are suffering.
But the energy and economic crisis triggered by the war is putting a strain on people and businesses in our country. That is why we have decided on relief programs worth almost 300 billion to overcome this crisis. I believe, it is crucial to learn from the mistakes of the past, for example from an overly one-sided dependence on energy supplies.