Scholz Defends Ukraine Policy as Voters Punish Muddled Strategy
- Chancellor’s party suffers historic defeat in a regional vote
- Scholz seeks to clarify efforts to support Kyiv in TV address
This article is for subscribers only.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his government’s efforts to support Ukraine in a bid to revive his flagging popularity after voters delivered a bruising defeat for his party.
The 63-year-old Social Democrat is struggling to regain momentum after getting battered at home and abroad for dragging his feet on supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons and halting Russian energy imports. The fallout of a disjointed approach to the conflict became clear on Sunday, with the SPD suffering its first defeat since he took office in December.