SPD knocks planned US missile deployment, advocates Russian, Ukraine peace talk

 

BERLIN – The incumbent centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) in the eastern German state of Brandenburg have agreed to criticize planned US missile deployments in Germany and urge peace talks in Ukraine.

The populist politician Sahra Wagenknecht had demanded those statements as a prerequisite to coalition talks with her upstart party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), following regional elections in September.

A joint statement from Brandenburg’s SPD and the BSW released on Monday said the parties have agreed that they are “committed to promoting a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict” and “take a critical view of the planned stationing of medium-range and hypersonic missiles on German soil.”

The statement sets Brandenburg’s state premier, Dietmar Woidke, at odds with his SPD colleague, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Scholz has supported the US missile deployment, and has repeatedly vowed to continue supplying Ukraine with military aid in the fight against the Russian invasion for as long as necessary.

Wagenknecht, who vehemently opposes German aid for Ukraine and has expressed scepticism of the NATO alliance, has repeatedly demanded a clear position against the US missiles.

“Concrete overtures are needed to return to disarmament and arms control,” the joint statement continued.

Woidke added that concrete measures would be discussed during coalition talks. Both the BSW and SPD left open on Monday whether positions on the Ukraine conflict and the deployment of US missiles would be included in an eventual agreement.

Possible coalition talks between the two parties are expected to begin next week.

Woidke’s SPD has turned to the BSW as a potential partner after his current allies, the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Greens, suffered losses in the September election.