German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to build a new air defense system together with European neighbors. A jointly built system “would be a safety gain for all of Europe,” Scholz said in a speech at Charles University in Prague on Monday.
The Social Democratic head of government emphasized that a common system would also be cheaper and more efficient than national solutions. Scholz also emphasized the benefits of jointly coordinated arms assistance to Ukraine and revealed that his government had already launched an initiative with the Netherlands.
In his keynote address, the Chancellor stated: “Our goal is modern Ukrainian armed forces that can defend their country in the long term. But we can’t just provide Kiev what we can do without ourselves.”
€600 million arms package for Ukraine
During his visit to Prague, Scholz also suggested that his country could prioritize air defense and artillery for the Ukrainian armed forces, as it had just pledged a new weapons package worth €600 million. According to the German chancellor, the Ukrainian army needs permanent and reliable support.
Ukraine needs additional weapons as long as the war continues, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba emphasized. Howitzers and grenades are currently needed, it said.
This is how Scholz wants to reform the entire EU
In addition to defense policy, Scholz also unveiled a number of reform ideas for the European Union itself in his keynote speech: he argued for a substantial expansion of the federation from 28 states and mentioned the number of 30 or 36 members. The Western Balkan states, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and “prospective” Georgia belonged to the EU. This enlargement is in the interest of Europeans.
To become more decisive, Scholz also proposed majority decisions in foreign and fiscal policy, a reorganization in the European Parliament and a reform of the European debt settlement. The proposals are likely to meet with resistance, especially from smaller EU countries. According to Scholz’s ideas, they should be able to appoint an EU Commissioner as before, but they should lose a lot of weight in, for example, the European Parliament.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
