The discussion of the controversial US plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine reached the German Bundestag as well. Against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's initiatives, aid to Ukraine and relations with Russia became one of the main topics in the General Debate (Generaldebatte) held on Wednesday, November 26. Formally, the discussion was dedicated to Germany's 2026 budget draft, but geopolitics introduced its corrections.
The Opposition's Demand for "Russian Gas"
The discussion began with the speech of Alice Weidel, co-chair of the main opposition party, the "AfD" (Alternative for Germany). Addressing Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was sitting in the government box, she said: "Thank God, thanks to Donald Trump, we have a real chance for peace, and you have nothing to do with it." Weidel sharply criticized plans to increase aid to Ukraine, mentioning the corruption scandal in Kyiv. Her colleague, Tino Chrupalla, added: "Ukraine is not the seventeenth federal state of Germany." Weidel, in her 12-point plan, seemingly reverting to previous demands, proposed resuming the purchase of "cheap" gas and oil from Russia.
Chancellor Merz: No Peace at the Cost of Surrender!
Chancellor Friedrich Merz dedicated a separate section to Russia's war against Ukraine, emphasizing that it is one of the most important issues in European politics—preserving peace and freedom in Europe. "We do not want the silence of the cemetery. We do not want peace at the cost of surrender," he said. According to Merz, "real sustainable peace" cannot be reached based on an agreement between major powers without the consent of Ukraine and Europeans. He stressed that he had told Trump this personally on the phone and promised to support Kyiv "as long as necessary." The Chancellor's speech was accompanied by insulting shouts, calling him a "war-monger."
The Emotional Appeal of the Greens and Financial Complexities
Britta Haßelmann, co-chair of the opposition "Greens" faction, gave the most emotional speech. Addressing Weidel, she asked: "How can one begin a speech without thinking about the people suffering in Ukraine?!" Haßelmann called the US/Russian proposals a "plan to subjugate Ukraine." She also stated that she would monitor the promise to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's needs. This issue remains unresolved due to the resistance of Belgium, where a large portion of these funds is held.
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