War in Ukraine - part 2/3, Germany in the Ukraine Conflict

GERMANY’S IMAGE IN THE UKRAINE CONFLICT

(DE April/May 2022) From the beginning, Germany was under massive pressure from within the country and foreign allies.

The pressure boiled down to that Germany being told to withdraw immediately from the NordStream 2 contract because otherwise, it was financing Putin’s war and responsible for Ukraine’s deaths.

Germany’s economic and political relations with Russia were actually to blame for Putin being able to invade Ukraine.

Germany was accused of only looking after its economic interests and tended to put values aside.

These and similar arguments were heard.

Although I was critical of Germany conducting business with dictatorships for a long time, this “concerted action” of apportioning blame astonished and annoyed me. As if it were only Germany that acted in this way! And as if, for example, Saudi Arabia, with which the USA and Germany maintain intensive business relations, were a democracy that didn’t betray values!

Many states do not take sides against Russia or only half-heartedly.

Several states, especially in Africa, South America, and Asia, did not join sanctions against Russia.

China does not renounce Russia but does not actively support it either. Xi Jinping can wait.

India is dependent on Russia’s oil and gas. It, therefore, stands by Russia but does not feel entirely comfortable in its role, as it is currently under massive pressure from Western politicians.

Israel and Switzerland avoided taking sides in the first few months.

Neutrality is the usual behaviour for Switzerland, and it has always fared well. However, it could no longer afford to remain neutral after a while.

Israel has domestic and foreign policy reasons for not getting on the wrong side of either Ukraine or Russia. Jews from Russia and Ukraine have emigrated to Israel and still have family ties to their countries of origin. Jews will remember that the Ukrainian fascists, together with the German occupiers, took part in the persecution of Jews during the Second World War. Israel depends on Russia, allowing Israel’s air force to target Iran via Syria. So many good reasons make it difficult to take sides.

The world understands Israel’s dilemma!

The world understands Switzerland’s proverbial neutrality. However, the world does not understand Germany’s restraint!

In the summer of 2022, Germany is facing a gigantic energy crisis. This is because it does not want to and is not allowed to use NordStream2. Russia is sabotaging NordStream1, energy prices are rising immeasurably due to the market structure, and the resulting inflation is making life difficult for the population.

Everyone is looking forward to the coming winter with fear.

When a German politician suggested that we should now open NordStream2 to supply ourselves with Russian gas, war or no war, there was a moral outrage by a national and international Ukraine Solidarity Alliance.

But I wonder why Spain was able to increase its import of Russian gas by two-thirds in June and July without the Ukraine Solidarity Alliance taking a moral lash out.

German-Russian relations – a mistake?

My country’s representatives of politics and media representatives take sides with Ukraine loudly, tirelessly, financially and compassionately.

Yet there is a constant torrent of criticism and malice.

At times, one even could get the impression that Germany is to blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine because it maintained economic and cultural relations with Russia and insisted on diplomacy at a time when others, the USA, in particular, were ranting about Russia’s belligerence.

The long tradition of good relations initiated by Willy Brandt (SPD chancellor) during the Cold War is now declared a mistake, a crime, and a conspiracy.

So, who is accusing Germany?

It is, of course, Poland that still has historically justified reservations towards Germany and makes reproaches!

Then, of course, Ukrainian politicians, and above all, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk!

American patriots, too!

Also, many German politicians and many German journalists!

Ex-Chancellor Schröder (SPD) is being massively attacked for his professional and personal relationship with Russia and President Putin. As a result, his staff is quitting.

Furthermore, he is threatened to have his honorary titles revoked, and his salary as former chancellor cancelled. The public is snarling!

The media pressure on the German President Frank Walter Steinmeier to be ashamed of his commitment to diplomacy, de-escalation and Nordstream2 was so intense that he finally apologised for his “mistake”.

Has everyone forgotten why the European Coal and Steel Community (Montanunion), the first step towards the EU, was founded between France and Germany, the known arch-enemies after the Second World War?

Economic relations – initially focused on coal and steel – were initiated to prevent future European wars. Over time, the alliance was expanded and strengthened politically and connected even more closely economically. A war in Europe? Unthinkable!

So what is wrong if this political approach should also guide relations with Russia?! One could instead ask all those politically responsible why Europe-Russia relations have been so half-heartedly, so fragmentarily and hesitantly. Why, instead of openness, mistrust prevailed long before the Ukraine war?

One aspect plays a decisive role here.

The USA had nothing against the Franco-German connection but had reservations about Germany-Russia or Europe-Russia relations. If France had been so suspicious of dealing with Germany in the post-war period under pressure from the USA, there would be no EU today.

Another event shows the pressure exerted on Germany to turn away from its peace-oriented policy based on diplomacy.

Weapons seem to count more than humanitarian aid or peace efforts.

German President Frank Walter Steinmeier, unlike any other European head of state, was not welcome in Ukraine initially because of his previous stance on Germany’s policy towards Russia. So when he planned to travel to Kyiv with the heads of state of some Eastern European countries, the German president was disinvited.

In contrast, President Selensky happily received British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Ukraine.

Germany has accepted over 380,000 Ukrainian refugees by the end of April 2022 and is still holding the gates wide open.

The UK is the only European country requiring visas for Ukrainians to enter the country. At the same moment in time, 117,000 visa applications had been submitted. But only a few managed to pass the hurdles and enter the country. In May, it was reported that in many families, almost all members received a visa, except for one person, for example, a minor child or another family member. There is no need to explain the effect of this! Ukrainian families react like most families in such a situation: all or none! I wonder whether this is the intention of the UK government to regulate the arrival of Ukrainian refugees.

However, the UK supplies weapons, which seems to be more important to President Selensky than the welfare of his refugee compatriots. Consequently, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is a friend, and Frank Walter Steinmeier is not.

This is because Germany had resisted and tenaciously against delivering heavy weapons to Ukraine for a long time. It legitimately did not want to escalate the war or be drawn into the war.

The decline in taboos due to the war and war propaganda makes it acceptable that the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andrej Melnyk, publicly insulted the German chancellor as getting into a huff. He did so when Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to consider a visit to Ukraine because of this insult towards Germany’s elected president.

Such behaviour shows traits of a witch hunt.

I feel challenged to “think outside the box”, which is best done by asking questions. (TA)