Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed regret for his statement about “caliber experts” in the debate about aid to Ukraine. The Federal President’s Office reported that Steinmeier was “annoyed by his formulation in retrospect,” especially because he did not want to further escalate the controversial debate. In recent days, Steinmeier has also made self-critical remarks about the “caliber experts.”
At a newspaper event in late April, Steinmeier defended Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision not to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles and expressed his frustration with the German debate on weapons systems. He criticized military experts for their enthusiasm and ambition, as reported by FAZ.
Politicians from various parties, including the CDU, Greens, and FDP, criticized Steinmeier for his remarks. They accused him of not fulfilling his role as Federal President and of ridiculing experts to support the SPD’s election campaign. CDU foreign politician Norbert Röttgen noted condescension in Steinmeier’s statements and criticized Scholz’s handling of the weapons systems debate.
Despite the criticism, there were voices within the SPD that defended Steinmeier. Ralf Stegner and other SPD members criticized those who questioned the party’s peace, détente, and Eastern policy. However, some experts, including Jan Claas Behrends, were critical of Steinmeier’s behavior and the SPD’s Russia policy.
The debate surrounding Steinmeier’s statement about “caliber experts” highlighted divisions within political parties and raised concerns about the Federal President’s impartiality and role in contentious discussions.