With regard to the possible formation of coalitions between her BSW and the CDU in Thuringia and Saxony, Sahra Wagenknecht is calling for a differentiation from CDU leader Friedrich Merz's course on Ukraine policy. "After Friedrich Merz's appalling speech in the Bundestag this week, in which he effectively called for Germany to go to war against Russia, we can only enter into coalitions with his party if the state government clearly distances itself from such positions," the BSW national chairwoman told Der Spiegel.
In the Bundestag on Wednesday, CDU parliamentary group leader Merz called for a tougher stance against Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. He reiterated this in his newsletter at the weekend. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) should have made a clear announcement to Putin together with the heads of government of France and Great Britain, Merz wrote: "If the war terror against the civilian population does not stop within 24 hours, the range limits on the weapons supplied will be lifted. If that is not enough, Germany will deliver Taurus cruise missiles to destroy the Russian army's supply routes." Ukraine has repeatedly demanded that it be allowed to use Western weapons against targets on Russian territory in its defense campaign.
