“Merz wants to issue an ultimatum to the nuclear power, Russia,” Scholz wrote. “All I can say is: When it comes to war and peace, you don’t need an unpredictable opposition leader, you need a cool head.”
Merz, who is in pole position to become Germany’s next chancellor, has frequently criticized Scholz for refusing to deliver Germany’s long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Merz has said he would deliver the cruise missiles to Kyiv if the Kremlin refuses an ultimatum to stop bombing civilian targets in Ukraine.
In Germany, Scholz’s surprise trip was widely seen as an attempt by the leader to burnish his credentials as a statesman ahead of the February election. Some speculated that the chancellor wanted to beat Merz to the punch amid media reports that the conservative leader has received an invitation to visit Kyiv as well.
During the trip on Monday, Scholz visited wounded Ukrainian troops in a hospital, and placed a candle in front of a memorial for fallen soldiers.
“I expressed my deep appreciation for their courage and bravery,” said Scholz of his hospital visit. “The encounter with them and the personal dialogue were important to me and I can expressly say that I won’t forget that.”
Scholz has steadfastly refused to deliver Taurus missiles to Ukraine, despite Zelenskyy’s pleas for the weapons, saying the move could lead to an escalation of the war. The United States, United Kingdom and France — all of which have nuclear weapons — have provided Ukraine with their own long-range missiles.
