The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) announced in a statement that it would leave the Bundestag plenary session during the speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj. This was reported by the news portal “t-online” and is consistent with information from WELT. Selenskyj is in Berlin for the reconstruction conference for Ukraine and will speak to the Bundestag members in the afternoon.
In the statement, the BSW writes that while they condemn “Russia’s war in Ukraine, which violates international law,” President Selenskyj is currently helping to “promote a highly dangerous spiral of escalation.” He is thus taking the risk of a nuclear conflict with devastating consequences for the whole of Europe.
The statement goes on to say that Selenskyj’s policy “is now, in the opinion of many international observers, aiming for an open escalation of the war and an immediate entry of NATO into the war.” The latest attack on the early warning system of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces is “the pinnacle of this highly dangerous strategy so far.” The BSW considers this to be irresponsible.
The party, founded in January, sees the fact that Selenskyi is allowed to speak in the Bundestag as a “symbol of uncritical approval of his policies” – the BSW cannot support this. The Ukrainian president should not be “honored with a special event” in the Bundestag, because that is not a critical dialogue.
The BSW calls on the federal government to “use its influence on Selenskyj to ensure that he agrees to peace talks.” Because wars are not ended with weapons, but through peace negotiations.
The SPD reacted angrily to the BSW’s announcement. “It’s embarrassing, disrespectful and people are embarrassing themselves as much as they can,” said the parliamentary manager of the SPD parliamentary group, Katja Mast, to the Reuters news agency. “Sahra Wagenknecht seems to be willing to use any means to gain her own profile. All of this is happening at the expense of Ukraine, where people are currently fighting and fearing for their lives.”