A leading Green party official, Felix Banaszak, has expressed concerns over the possibility of the Union and SPD moving closer to Russia and a potential “Moskau-Connection” emerging.
Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”, Banaszak warned, “We must never again fall into the hands of authoritarian states. Therefore, I take great concern in noticing that it is mainly in the Union, but also in the SPD, that the first voices are now being heard, speculating on a dictate peace between Russia and Ukraine and turning the gas taps on again.”
He specifically mentioned CDU Bundestag member Thomas Bareiß, who had expressed openness to new gas deliveries from Russia after the Ukraine war. “Behind this lies a widespread thinking” said the Green party chief. “Many in the Union and the SPD are speculating on a normalization of the relationship with Russia.”
Banaszak believes it would be a “great mistake” if the traffic of the small coalition continued where the great coalition of 2021 had stopped. “Until today, some decisions by Olaf Scholz and his entourage, in view of the commissioning of Nord Stream II, have not been conclusively clarified. This must be reworked” he said.
If CDU leader Friedrich Merz wanted to preserve the rest of his credibility in foreign policy, “he would have to take people like Thomas Bareiß out of the negotiation team of the coalition talks very quickly” said the Green party official. “I would demand that of Herr Merz if I were Lars Klingbeil” he added.
He sees a “Moskau-Connection” both in the Union and in the SPD, Banaszak said. “Behind this lies in part naivety, but also some people who pursue strategic or blunt economic goals.”
It can be feared that exactly these forces would regain strength through the formation of a black-red government, warned Banaszak. “The last great coalition was responsible for the most consequential wrong decisions in relation to Russia. We, together with the FDP, were the corrective in the traffic of the Ampel coalition. Now, some Putin misinterpreters are sensing a new dawn and it is of the utmost importance to be cautious.