Germany’s Scholz Pledges Support for Kyiv Amid Heated Ukraine Debate at Home

Scholz Criticizes Merz's Tough Talk on Russia Amid Ukraine Debate

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has taken aim at opposition leader Friedrich Merz for his hawkish stance on Russia, describing his approach as reckless. “Merz wants to issue an ultimatum to the nuclear power, Russia,” Scholz said. “All I can say is: When it comes to war and peace, you don’t need an unpredictable opposition leader, you need a cool head.”

Merz, widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Scholz as Germany’s next chancellor, has repeatedly criticized the current government for withholding long-range Taurus missiles from Ukraine. Merz has stated that, if in power, he would supply the missiles to Kyiv in the event Moscow rejects an ultimatum to cease bombing civilian targets in Ukraine.

Scholz’s surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday has drawn attention in Germany, with political observers interpreting it as an effort to bolster his image as a statesman ahead of the February election. Reports surfaced that Merz has also been invited to Kyiv, suggesting the visit could be seen as Scholz attempting to upstage his conservative rival.

During his trip, Scholz met with wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a hospital and lit a memorial candle for fallen troops. Reflecting on his visit, Scholz said, “I expressed my deep appreciation for their courage and bravery. The encounter with them and the personal dialogue were important to me, and I can expressly say that I won’t forget that.”

Scholz has maintained his refusal to provide Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, a stance that sets him apart from allies such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France, which have all supplied Ukraine with their own long-range missiles. Despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s repeated calls for the weapons, Scholz has argued that providing them could risk further escalating the war.