Germany has changed its defence and foreign policies, but not its mentality
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskMr Scholz’s new strategy raised high hopes in the western world. Yet eight weeks into the war in Ukraine these hopes are being dashed, bit by bit. Mr Scholz refuses to support calls for a German or European embargo or tariff on Russian oil and gas. Every day Germany pays Russia tens of millions of euros for fossil fuels, even as the war grinds on.
Still more damaging has been his refusal to give Ukraine heavy weapons such as tanks. Ukraine needs them more than ever thanks to the new Russian offensive in the east. Other Europeans are exasperated by German dithering. “This is costing Germany lots of political capital in the European Union andGermany’s allies fear that the country is wavering in its commitment to theSuch fears are exaggerated; Mr Scholz is following through on important parts of his new policies with impressive speed.
The Greens and the Liberals, the junior partners in Mr Scholz’s governing coalition, want to do more. Anton Hofreiter, a Greenwho was part of a German delegation to Kyiv last week, insists Germany must “finally deliver what Ukraine needs, and that is heavy weapons”. He called Mr Scholz “too hesitant”. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, an outspoken LiberalOpponents argue that supplying heavy weapons would make Germany a party to the war. Experts in international law say this claim is simply wrong.
Christian Lindner, the finance minister, announced on Twitter on April 15th that Germany will increase itsa fund to help allies buy weapons, by about €1bn, with the boost largely going to Ukraine. The money will surely be welcome in Kyiv. But there is an air of unreality to many Germans’ attitudes: they want to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia, but they shrink from the warlike things this implies.
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