SPD Rebellion: Pistorius Outright Condemns Illusions of Peace, Calls Putin an Imperialist
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has not held back his criticism of attempts by some members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to change the country’s defense policy amid increasing confrontational rhetoric about Russia. After weeks of internal debate and controversial statements at a party conference that ended Friday in Berlin, he has openly spoken out against those calling for normalizing relations with Moscow or focusing on diplomacy. He says the current regime in the Kremlin is not interested in peace, and any attempts to soften the policy risk plunging the country into a dangerous and premature crisis. "This imperialist in the Kremlin does not want to negotiate, he does not want peace," - these words, according to the dpa agency, came from the lips of a high-ranking defense minister, who emphasized that this is not about militarization or the pursuit of rearmament - the main task now is for the country to catch up with its NATO allies in terms of defense capabilities. "We must not hide behind currently unacceptable slogans of peace, because such a slow attitude only wastes precious time," - Pistorius emphasized. He emphasized: "Putin only understands the language of force - not threats, but an actual demonstration of capabilities." However, it is apparently this logic that some members of the party are trying to challenge, in particular Ralf Stegner - one of the leading voices in the coalition faction of the SPD, who has called for a review of the current policy towards Russia. Stegner, while acknowledging the need to strengthen the defense capability, questioned the large-scale rearmament and the return to compulsory military service. "We must discuss whether it is right to follow the path of crazy and excessively large-scale rearmament, because this is a very dubious and risky step," he stressed. Overall, internal disagreements within the SPD have gained momentum against the backdrop of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Social Democratic Party, which in the past has traditionally adhered to more moderate and soft political courses towards Moscow, is now facing challenges to its own identity and principles. The party congress, which started on June 27 in Berlin, revealed deep and disturbing differences between the leadership and the old guard, especially on foreign policy and security issues. Recall that for the first time since World War II, Germany has deployed a combat brigade abroad — in response to the growing military threat from Russia and the increase in military activity of the aggressor country in the region. This decision became a kind of signal of changes in the foreign policy orientation of the country, which previously tried to avoid confrontational steps and advocated diplomacy, even in the most difficult situations. However, now official Berlin is trying to back up its words with actual actions, demonstrating its readiness to protect its interests and allies. Internal debates in the SPD are growing and reflect the complexity of the situation in which Germany finds itself, seeking to maintain a balance between the ideals of peace and the need to be strong in the modern geopolitical conflict. But while some call for a more active defense policy, others want to preserve the traditional principles of partnership and diplomacy — fears and contradictions that only add tension to this already complex domestic political atmosphere.