Scholz urged to seek ceasefire and peace talks in Ukraine. "Instead of military escalation, we call for a ceasefire and negotiations."

A group of SPD politicians has called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to change his strategy regarding the war in Ukraine. Instead of "war escalation," they are demanding a ceasefire and peace negotiations with Russia.

In an appeal titled "Dare for more diplomacy," revealed on Saturday by "Tageszeitung" (TAZ), the German Social Democrats called on the chancellor to make an "immediate change of strategy." "Instead of just following American decisions, he should be undertaking his own peace initiatives," the statement reads.

The authors stressed how the West's strategy of militarily repelling the aggressor Russia has failed. "Instead of military escalation, we call for a ceasefire and negotiations." The letter was signed by 18 SPD activists, including former Justice Minister Herta Däubler-Gmelin, Willy Brandt's son Peter Brandt, and former Bundestag members Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker and Michael Müller.

The signatories pointed out the war's adverse effects on the natural environment. "The CO2 emissions caused by German arms and ammunition deliveries are so high that Germany would have to throw its CO2 balance in the trash if these actions were also included in the calculation," the document reads.

According to the letter's authors, Scholz should convince Ukraine to abandon maximalist demands, assuming that peace negotiations can only begin after Russian troops are withdrawn from Ukraine.

After Russia attacked Ukraine on 24th February 2022, Olaf Scholz announced a "historic turning point" (Zeitenwende) in policy toward Russia. After initial hesitation, the authorities in Berlin supported Ukraine and are now the second-largest provider of aid to the attacked country after the USA. Scholz has repeatedly spoken out against peace dictated by Russia, calling such a solution a "dictate."

Since the beginning of the conflict, Social Democrat Scholz has had many opponents within his SPD party. In August 2022, SPD politicians appealed, "Weapons must be silent!" In March of this year, SPD parliamentary group leader Ralf Mützenich called for the "freezing" of the conflict.