Germany's Brandenburg coalition agreement leaves controversial stance on Ukraine and US missiles unchanged

The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDP) and the left-wing alliance of Sahra Wagenknecht have left unchanged the controversial formulations regarding the war in Ukraine and the deployment of US missiles in Germany in their coalition agreement in Brandenburg.

Source: European Pravda, citing RBB 24

Details: The SDP and the alliance, which form the government in Brandenburg, concluded their coalition negotiations and presented the coalition agreement on 27 November. 

The agreement begins with a preamble outlining their shared position on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the deployment of missiles in Germany, even though foreign policy is outside the scope of regional government authority. 

The wording of the preamble was introduced after the initial negotiations and remained unchanged in the final version of the agreement. 

Among other points, it states that "the war cannot be ended through further arms deliveries". It also expresses criticism of the planned deployment of intermediate-range and hypersonic missiles in Germany, calling for concrete proposals to return to disarmament and arms control.

The SDP in Brandenburg faced national criticism for this stance, including from within its own ranks, but received praise from ASV leader Sahra Wagenknecht.

Both the alliance and the SDP also committed to strengthening the Bundeswehr's defence capabilities and adhering to the Budapest Memorandum in the preamble (Bundeswehr is the official name of the German military – ed.).

Background: 

• Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on Brandenburg's long-serving Prime Minister, Dietmar Woidke, to give a clear commitment that his future government would not sacrifice Ukraine to Vladimir Putin.  
• The Brandenburg state government will be the second to include members from Sahra Wagenknecht's alliance, following the successful conclusion of coalition talks involving the alliance in Thuringia.

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