AAs the fourth largest armaments exporter worldwide, Germany sold armaments worth over nine billion euros last year. At the top of the list: the authoritarian government of Egypt, which is involved in wars in Yemen and Libya, among other things. Germany’s current support in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, on the other hand: The Federal Republic is delivering 5,000 helmets to the crisis region. They rule out defensive arms deliveries.
The reactions in Kiev followed at the same time: “What does Germany want to send next in support? Pillows?” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko scoffed. The Ukrainian parliament held up the flags of the allies in gratitude – the German flag was missing.
“The point is that the Federal Republic is serious about the aid,” says the Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk. The helmets were also “part of the Ukrainian requirements”, countered the Secretary General of the SPD, Kevin Kühnert, and defended Scholz and Baerbock, who had made “crystal clear” statements on the matter.
The talk show guests get right at the beginning of the core question of the show: What should Germany’s help in the current conflict with Putin look like?
While Anne Applebaum, American-Polish historian and journalist, and Andrij Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, advocate arms deliveries, the other guests include Kevin Kühnert (SPD), Jürgen Trittin (Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen) and Dietmar Bartsch (Die Linke). military response to the conflict. A German perspective for arms deliveries was missing in the round of talks. ARD correspondent Ina Ruck reported live on the current situation in Kiev.
“Germany is at a crossroads”
Melnyk makes the Ukrainian perspective clear right at the beginning of the program: “We hope that the Germans will change their minds,” he demands, adding that Ukraine needs defensive weapons and hopes that Germany will change course. Ukraine currently feels let down by Germany. The Federal Republic must “wake up from this slumber.”
71 percent of the German population currently consider arms deliveries from Germany to be wrong, Will quotes the current survey by ARD Deutschlandtrends. “There is a dissent with the Ukrainian government, you shouldn’t beat around the bush,” says Trittin, and raises the question: “What deters more?”: “Last-minute” arms deliveries that deter Putin, or deterrence through political measures .
Russia is jeopardizing its relations with Europe
Germany, NATO and the EU are of the same opinion, Trittin emphasizes, political measures deter Russia much more and are the right approach, not “symbolic arms deliveries”.
Applebaum resolutely disagrees: “I’m one hundred percent sure that the weapons will actually be used.” The deterrence should have started much earlier. Sanctions should also be put on the table, but “the current round of negotiations should not be seen as too important”.
The historical excuse: “Germany is hiding behind its history”
Bartsch sees Germany’s task in the fact that “everything is done for de-escalation”. Under no circumstances should the risk of war in Europe be promoted. “You can really help Ukraine in other ways,” affirms Bartsch.
In a small clip, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock explains the decision not to supply weapons, also with “historical reasons”. For Applebaum, the aspect of historical responsibility is not a good justification, she finds this argument “disturbing”.
Instead, Germany hides behind its history and uses it as an excuse. At the same time, the Federal Republic continues to do business with countries such as China or Russia.
Putin’s lack of understanding: “He lost the hearts of Ukrainians”
ARD correspondent Ina Ruck describes the situation on site from Kiev. The fear of war is not great, “but the war is present here,” says Ruck, with at least some expecting an increase in hostilities. The Ukrainians sometimes see arms deliveries from Germany as a symbolic act, and they often hear from locals that Germany is not prepared to “make sacrifices”.
On the one hand, Putin wants to get attention with his actions, on the other hand, Putin’s behavior can be explained by his need for security interests. “NATO has come closer,” from the Russian point of view they want a guarantee for more security. And the assumption that thirty years after the end of the Soviet Union Putin intends to “build something new” cannot be dismissed out of hand. But the Russian ruler is clearly wrong about one thing: He still doesn’t know “that he has lost the hearts of the Ukrainians.”
Again and again during the show, Will incorporates perspectives from abroad, both from the USA and from Ukraine, and asks critical questions. But the questions of what concrete political measures might look like and how Germany’s dependence on Russia influences political activities in the Federal Republic ultimately remain unanswered.
“Kick-off Politics” is WELT’s daily news podcast. The most important topic analyzed by WELT editors and the dates of the day. Subscribe to the podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or directly via RSS feed.