‘Must do more!’ Germans turn on Scholz as Ukraine poll suggests Berlin not doing enough

Ukraine Crisis: Olaf Scholz negotiates with Vladamir Putin

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The results come as the German chancellor was blasted for delaying a final decision over whether to supply Ukraine with tanks as the ex-Soviet state continues its battle against Russia. The German Chancellor has come under pressure to do more to help Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky see off Russian troops just six weeks after Vladimir Putin sent soldiers into the country.

A Deutschlandtrend poll suggests a plurality of Germans think Berlin’s support for Kyiv has not gone far enough.

Forty-five percent of respondents said Germany’s response had not gone far enough.

In comparison, 37 percent said the response has been appropriate and only 11 percent thought they went too far.

In response to the poll, Boris Ruge, Ambassador and Vice Chairman of the Munich Security Council, said Germans must do more.

He tweeted: “As in the past public opinion in #Germany is NOT the obstacle to a more forward-leaning foreign policy that some claim it is.

“The public thinks Germany hasn’t done enough for #Ukraine.

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“Issues around sanctions & military supplies are by no means easy. But we must do more.”

Question marks about the German response to Putin’s invasion have grown after it was revealed Berlin had delayed a final decision as to whether they would send high-end tanks to Ukraine.

Ivana Stradner, an advisor at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, said: “Disgraceful. German chancellor is pandering to Vladimir Putin and Eastern Europe should not trust Germany.”

She added: “Germany is delaying a final decision on giving Ukraine about 100 tanks for its battle against Russia.”

@MavkaSlavka asked on Twitter: “Does Germany want to help Ukraine or not?”

However, critics are not only voicing concern about the German tank fiasco.

Germany had been put under pressure earlier on in the crisis after Boris Johnson put pressure on several European Union nations to exclude Russia from SWIFT.

Berlin has also reportedly led opposition to an oil embargo from inside the Brussels bloc.

In contrast, Mr Johnson has said he will not allow the UK to be dependent on Russian oil and gas.

Speaking at Hinkley C, the Prime Minister said: “We’re undoing some of the mistakes of the past, we’re taking a huge step forward to make sure that we now build the equivalent of one reactor a year for eight years.”

Responding to Mr Johnson’s announcement, @alex_fedulov said: “@OlafScholz this is what reasonable people are doing.”

The news comes after European Commission vice president Josep Borrell revealed the bloc paid Moscow €35billion (£29billion) to the Kremlin in energy imports compared to just €1billion (£834million) in arms aid to Kyiv.

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Despite delaying a decision to provide Ukraine with tanks, Russian troops appear to be withdrawing from the ex-Soviet state.

In an update on the situation in Ukraine, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said: “In the north, Russian forces have now fully withdrawn from Ukraine to Belarus and Russia.

“At least some of these forces will be transferred to East Ukraine to fight in the Donbas.

“Many of these forces will require significant replenishment before being ready to deploy further east, with any mass redeployment from the north likely to take at least a week minimum.

“Russian shelling of cities in the east and south continues and Russian forces have advanced further south from the strategically important city of Izium which remains under their control.”

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