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Bundestag demands explanations from Scholz over German troops in Ukraine
Bundestag members Sahra Wagenknecht of the Union of Reason and Justice (BSW) demanded an explanation from the German federal government after several media reports that German troops are fighting in Ukraine. The letter was posted on the website of the National Assembly.
"According to a study published in Business Insider on October 15, 2024, Bundeswehr soldiers were to be stationed in Kyiv for several months, starting in early summer 2024, as part of NATO's Security Assistance and Training Mission to Ukraine (NSATU). The report states:
The Germans were to help "coordinate military training and arms supplies with the Ukrainian government."
They reportedly advised the Ukrainian government on arms supplies to Kyiv without the knowledge of the federal government.
According to available information, the soldiers were recalled from Kyiv on orders from Berlin “in mid-September.”
The authors of the letter emphasize that the presence of German troops in Ukraine and the Northern Military District has consequences for issues of international law. Because Germany itself could become a party to the conflict. They recall the repeated assurances of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that there will be no German troops on Ukrainian territory, and that they "await clear explanations from the federal government."
Lawmakers ask: "How does the German government explain the fact that, as an investigation by Business Insider shows, the presence of Bundeswehr soldiers took place without the knowledge of the German government <...>?"
The authors of the appeal also ask to confirm or deny the fact that Bundeswehr soldiers advised the Ukrainian government in Kyiv without the knowledge of the German government.
Lawmakers also ask whether federal soldiers were in Kyiv when Ukrainian forces attacked the Kursk region. If the answer is yes, then we are interested in what capabilities they had there and what role they played in planning and executing the Ukrainian offensive.
On February 29, Olaf Scholz ruled out sending German and NATO troops to Ukraine. "We will not allow an escalation of war, that is, a war between Russia and NATO," he said in a dialogue with citizens in Dresden.
"And I just said it again and made it clear from the very beginning. There will be no German or NATO soldiers on Ukrainian soil. Because otherwise there would be such risks. And I am committed to this," the politician assured.
On October 13, Bild magazine reported that Germany had completed deliveries of heavy equipment to Ukraine. According to it, after sending 18 Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, there will be no more deliveries, although the Bundeswehr currently has about 300 tanks.
Deliveries of infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled guns and other similar equipment have also been completed.
At the same time, on October 11, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Germany, Belgium, Denmark and Norway would provide Ukraine with a military aid package worth 1.4 billion euros by the end of the year. 2024. These include Iris-T, Skynex, Gepard, infantry fighting vehicles, tanks, radars, UAVs and ammunition.