Scholz Accused of Exploiting Kyiv Visit for Election Campaign

Amid Germany’s campaign for early general elections scheduled for late February, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has been leading a minority government since the collapse of his coalition, decided to visit Ukraine nearly two and a half years after his first visit.

The timing of the visit raised suspicions, as Scholz had only visited Kyiv once since the start of the war. Critics accused him of using the trip as part of his “election campaign,” though his team insisted the visit had been planned well in advance, even before his government fell. Christian Democratic Union (CDU) lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter accused Scholz of “self-promotion at the expense of the Ukrainian people while fueling Russian fear narratives.”

Some speculated that Scholz aimed to preempt a potential visit by opposition leader Friedrich Merz, the Christian Democratic candidate for chancellor, who had received an invitation to Kyiv. Merz’s party is leading opinion polls with over 32% of support, making him the likely next chancellor. Meanwhile, Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) struggles in third place with just 15%.

Scholz and Merz frequently clash over policies related to Ukraine, a key issue in the upcoming elections. Recently, the two disagreed over a phone call Scholz had with Russian President Vladimir Putin two weeks ago. Opposition members criticized Scholz, describing the call as “a sign of weakness, not strength,” for Germany.