German Vice-Chancellor Hubertus Heil has criticized the authors of the anti-armament “Manifest” for their unrealistic views. “The positions may sound sympathetic, but they are unrealistic” Heil told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.”
Heil, a long-time labor minister and current member of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized the reality of the current world situation, citing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the need for a strong European response. “We are in a dangerous world and a dangerous situation and wishing is not enough, a good intention is not enough, it is the time of responsibility ethics” he said.
Heil criticized the authors of the Manifest for trying to gloss over the harsh realities of the situation, saying that simply talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin was not a viable solution. “Putin’s imperialist appetite is not to be satiated by simply talking to him” he said.
According to Heil, a path to peace requires providing security guarantees for Ukraine, which would necessitate the involvement of European nations, in addition to the United States. He also emphasized the need for increased investment in the German military, stating that it was “unquestionable” that the Bundeswehr required more funding.
Heil claimed that only a minority in the SPD supported the Manifest’s positions and that the debate within the party needed to be brought to a close. “The SPD has made a clear decision, with a large majority, on the necessary strengthening of the Bundeswehr and our European responsibility” he said, referring to the party’s recent decisions and the upcoming party convention. “The fact that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has a very broad support in the population and the SPD shows that this is also the majority position of the Social Democrats.”
As a party holding government responsibility, Heil believed that the SPD needed to have a clear stance. “I do not expect the upcoming party convention to deviate from this course” he concluded.