The end of love for Russia? Self-criticism of SPD MP talking about Poland

Posted On: April 23, 2023

“We really don’t listen enough to our friends in Central and Eastern Europe, in Poland, in the Baltic countries,” said Dietmar Nietan, MP for Germany’s SPD and member of the party’s board, who announced the change in course towards Russia in an interview. with Deutsche Welle.

“We don’t listen to our friends enough.”

The German Social Democratic Party has a pro-Russian reputation, largely due to its former chairman, Gerhard Schroeder, Chancellor of Germany from 1998-2005, but also the group’s representative activities, including in Lower Saxony. As Deutsche Welle notes, German social democrats have recently made assumptions about a new foreign policy, including that of the east.

When asked about the “reaction to the many mistakes made in recent years” and the changes to be introduced, Dietmar Nietan pointed out that it is important for politicians to be able to recognize their shortcomings and admit them openly.

That is why I am proud that my party was the first to critically analyze its policy towards Russia and now wants to learn from its mistakes.

said the SPD MP.

We are clearly not listening enough to our friends in Central and Eastern Europe, in Poland, in the Baltic countries. So the first conclusion is that the old west of the EU should listen more carefully to what our friends from these countries have to say and realize the value of the experiences and cultural achievements of the peoples in Poland, Central and Eastern Europe, in the Baltics.

– added.

When asked why Germany has long looked Russia over the heads of countries in the east of the EU, the German politician pointed to, among other things, the “ignorance of many members of the political elite” in both Germany and other EU countries regarding the events behind the “Iron Curtain”.

The second mistake was that we did not take seriously the warnings that Russia under Putin was again developing imperialist desires. We have a wrong picture of the situation

said Nietan.

Generational change in SPD

According to the parliamentarian, the close relationship between Germany (including its entourage) and Russia resulted from the values shared by the social democrats in Germany. This includes remembering Germany’s responsibility for crimes committed during World War II.

For this reason, we have always wanted to have a special relationship with Russia, guided by the slogan: Russia must no longer be afraid of Germany or NATO.

– said DW’s interlocutor.

He later noted that despite good intentions, Berlin had not noticed that every year the Putin administration was distancing Russia from “being ready to reach a new peace order in Europe, based on equal rights for all.” But in Germany, they don’t want to accept this fact.

We naively believed that if we did business with Russia, and if we were economically connected, we would have a good influence on Russia. It was a mistake because in this way we are strengthening Russia and giving it economic leverage in the form of a heavy dependence on Russian gas.

I am a Member of the Bundestag.

How about former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder or the shady Mecklenburg-Vorpommern “Climate Foundation”? Dietmar Nietan emphasized that a generational change is taking place in the SPD and that 1/4 of the party’s 206 MPs in the Bundestag are under 35 years old, and MPs are young, despite being decidedly left-wing (and therefore often also pacifist). ) judging by, almost all of them are in favor of increasing the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

This means that Gerhard Schroeder’s generation no longer determines SPD policies, now younger ones like Lars Klingbeil do it. The younger generation of the SPD has drawn the right conclusions from its mistakes and views Russia differently from the party’s 70 or 80 year olds.

he says.

He assured that the “overwhelming majority” of the club supported the new Ostpolitik proposal.

Of course, again, one cannot speak for all members, but the SPD will not return to its old Ostpolitik, I guarantee it.

he emphasized.

By the way, he stabbed Chancellor Scholz’s predecessor, Angela Merkel. He has steadfastly spoken out in defense of Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt.

Mistakes were not made by Brandt and Schmidt, mistakes were made under Schroeder and Merkel (…). Angela Merkel says she has made no mistakes with Russia in her 16 years as chancellor. Where is the Conservative error analysis? So far, he has not been seen

– appoint a member of the SPD board.

Germany’s leading role? “Show commitment but not dominate”

According to the lawmakers, Germany’s future foreign and security policies should be shaped in much greater cooperation with its neighbors, especially those from Central and Eastern Europe.

They suffered from Russian imperialism for centuries, not just today’s Ukraine. They have experienced it

— he noted, adding that Germany should approach the security interests of Central and Eastern Europe more seriously.

But what if Berlin’s credibility, especially in the eyes of Central and Eastern Europe, has been undermined by Germany’s approach to Russia and its somewhat sluggish reaction to Putin’s aggression against Ukraine?

Many people did not like the fact that the SPD program documents stated that Germany should play a major role. If taking the lead means Germany is discussing something with France and then everyone in the EU has to do it, then I’m against that

– said Dietmar Nietan, who argued that this kind of Germany’s role would rather consist in launching new political initiatives with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, “and always above all with Poland.”

The politician concluded that his country should “show commitment, but not dominate”.

At the same time, he assured that there is currently no chance of a return to “business as usual” with Moscow.