Most of the deputies of the far-right German party AfD as well as the elected representatives of a left-wing sovereignist party boycotted on Tuesday the speech before the Bundestag by Volodymyr Zelensky, who was concerned about the echo of pro-Russian rhetoric in Europe .
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When he ascended to the lectern of the lower house of the German Parliament to applause, the Ukrainian president found himself facing the seats left empty by almost all of the 77 deputies of the far-right German AfD party. Only four elected officials took their place on the benches of the hemicycle.
Same choice of boycott by the 10 deputies of the radical left party BSW, recently created by a figure on the German political scene Sahra Wagenknecht on a sovereignist line.
AFP
The two parties accepted their decision: “We refuse to listen to a speaker in camouflage,” the AfD leadership explained in a statement, estimating that “Ukraine does not need a president of war, but a president of peace.
The BSW movement says it wants to send “a sign of solidarity with all those Ukrainians who want an immediate ceasefire and a negotiated solution,” an official told AFP.
AFP
For these two parties, Sunday’s European elections were a success: the AfD rose to second position in the vote with almost 16% of the votes, behind the conservatives.
With a critical speech on immigration and arms deliveries to Ukraine, the BSW party exceeded 6% of the votes, completely eclipsing the historic far-left movement die Linke (2.7%) from which Ms. Wagenknecht.
“Missile Terror”
Visiting Berlin on the occasion of an international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern about the electoral success of groups “with radical pro-Russian slogans”.
It is “dangerous for your countries”, he said during a press conference alongside Olaf Scholz.
AFP
He also called on his country’s allies to increase their air defense aid.
“It is the terror of missiles and bombs that helps Russian troops advance on the ground,” Zelensky told a panel of senior European officials.
“As long as we do not deprive Russia of the possibility of terrorizing Ukraine, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will have no real interest in seeking a fair peace,” he argued, swearing that “the defense air is the answer.
The Ukrainian leader’s diplomatic agenda is busy with a trip to Italy for the G7 leaders’ summit on Thursday then the “Conference on Peace in Ukraine” which will bring together more than 90 countries and organizations, but not Russia, on Saturday and Sunday in Switzerland. nor China.
AFP
The German chancellor agreed with Mr. Zelensky, urging Western allies to do more to enable Ukraine to protect its vital and civilian infrastructure.
“What the Ukrainian army needs most today is ammunition and weapons, especially for air defense,” he declared, recalling in particular that Berlin recently decided to deliver a third air defense system. Patriot air defense.
No “dictated peace”
Olaf Scholz reaffirmed that there would be “no military victory or peace dictated” by Vladimir Putin.
“Promoting this awareness is the challenge of the peace summit which will meet this weekend in Switzerland,” declared the leader.
AFP
Energy security and the restoration of the Ukrainian electricity grid will also be at the center of discussions in Switzerland.
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Russian bombing of energy infrastructure had led to Ukraine’s electricity production being halved since the winter.
According to him, 80% of thermal production and a third of hydroelectric production were destroyed by Russian strikes, which in recent months targeted numerous Ukrainian power plants, after a bombing campaign the previous year which had already led to massive cuts.
As a result of the Russian strikes, the national operator Ukrenergo announced on Tuesday to extend power rationing across the country, with restrictions planned from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. (11 a.m.-9 p.m. GMT).
