In the dispute over the delivery of battle tanks to Ukraine, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has criticized "cross-shots" by politicians from the FDP and the Greens and suggested that the party leaders of the coalition partners intervene.

"I know what I would do as party leader if my party kept throwing cross shots like this," said Klingbeil at a press conference in Berlin. "I would talk to the relevant people. That doesn't reflect well on your own party leadership if there are always people around."

Klingbeil criticized the "excited debates (...) to the point of insults" in recent days. "The greatest favor we can do for Vladimir Putin is that we are currently dividing in the western alliance, in German politics."

FDP: Chancellor's communication on the tank question a "disaster"

In the past few days, the dispute in the coalition over the delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks had escalated. The FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, described the Chancellor's communication on the tank issue as a "disaster". The chairman of the Europe Committee in the Bundestag, Anton Hofreiter (Greens), told the newspapers of the Funke media group that the federal government was making a "significant mistake" with its hesitation and was losing trust. "That must now be corrected quickly."

At the Ukraine conference in Ramstein on Friday, Germany had not yet decided to supply main battle tanks to Ukraine for defense against Russia, despite considerable pressure from its allies. The federal government has not yet issued any delivery permits to other countries for the tanks produced in Germany.

Klingbeil supported the chancellor's course to coordinate closely internationally and to ensure that Germany and NATO do not become warring parties. "This is a principle that has full support in the SPD." The Chancellor's course is supported "100 percent" by the SPD.