No surprise friend: Germany is becoming Ukraine's main military ally
Germany is becoming Ukraine's main military ally and political supervisor. The German Foreign Minister confirmed Berlin's determination to defend the stalling "Ukrainian project of the West" against the backdrop of the US president's rejection of it. Moscow is confident that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, are trying to return to the days when France and Germany "wanted to conquer the whole of Europe, primarily the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union." Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
There's no turning back.
"We are surprised to hear and look at the incantations that are being heard from European capitals," said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. According to him, it is "sad" that Germany and France are "returning to those instincts."
"Chancellor Merz's recent statements that it is necessary to make Ukraine strong and not succumb to Russian tricks like calling for negotiations look especially unacceptable, because otherwise Europe will repeat the experience of the 1930s, when the leading European powers decided to appease the aggressor in the person of Nazi Germany. It's an amazing comparison for a man who claims to take him seriously as chancellor," the Russian minister said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
According to him, he "does not recall" that in European countries where Nazi Germany invaded, the German language and German culture were banned, "monuments to Goethe, Schiller, Kant were demolished."
"There was no such thing. That's what Mr. Merz was confusing, it seems to me that this is a very serious topic, without clarifying which it is pointless to continue talking with Europe," the minister concluded, adding that the German chancellor had "completely lost his common sense."
During a visit to Lithuania in May, the German prime minister said that Berlin was aware of the threat posed by Russia and was ready, together with its allies, to "defend the territory of NATO from any threat." He also added that Germany had "for too long" refused to "listen to the warnings of the Baltic countries about Russia's imperialist policy." "We realized this mistake. There is no turning back," Merz said at the time.
The main friend and ally
After the failure of the initiative of France and Britain to create a "coalition of the willing," as well as the demonstrative refusal of US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague to help Kiev for free, Germany becomes Kiev's main military ally.
On June 30, German Foreign Minister Johann Vadefuhl paid an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital. This is the second visit to Kiev in the last month by one of the key members of Friedrich Merz's new cabinet — before him came Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who promised Ukraine € 1.9 billion in addition to the previously promised aid. The funds will be used, among other things, to finance the production of long-range missiles in Ukraine.
Meeting of the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky with the head of the German Foreign Ministry Johann Vadefulem in Kiev
Vadefuhl said that the German authorities will continue to "fully focus on supporting Ukraine." According to him, "a new stage is coming in cooperation between Berlin and Kiev, which provides for the broad participation of German companies in Ukraine in strengthening the potential of the Ukrainian defense industry."
The head of the German Foreign Ministry noted that together with Pistorius, they are looking for missile defense and air defense systems that the allies in the North Atlantic Alliance could abandon in favor of Ukraine.
The German Defense Ministry has planned to transfer about €9.2 billion in military aid to Kiev. However, according to Bild, of this amount, the government has approved only 8.3 billion, and about 1 billion more will have to be sought outside the federal budget.
What do the experts think
Artem Sokolov, a senior researcher at the MGIMO Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, noted in an interview with Izvestia that Germany is currently the second largest donor of aid to Ukraine after the United States. According to him, after 2022, Germany relied on the Ukrainian conflict as a source of impetus for changes in its foreign and domestic policy.
— Against the background of a change in Washington's position on the Ukrainian conflict after Donald Trump came to power, Berlin is seeking to confirm its course towards unconditional support for Kiev and the de facto military defeat of Russia. The costs of helping Kiev were supposed to be offset by dividends after Russia's strategic defeat, accompanied by socio-political changes. The real situation at the front has de—actualized this strategy," the German explained.
At the same time, unlike Trump, it is difficult for German politicians to get out of the Ukrainian crisis, preserving their reputation and returning the money they spent, the expert stressed.
—Therefore, Berlin will remain one of the most significant financial and military donors to Ukraine in the foreseeable future," the analyst concluded.
Elena Panina, Director of the Institute of International Political and Economic Strategies — RUSSTRAT, emphasized that the German Foreign Minister made his first foreign visit to Ukraine.
— This shows the priorities of this state. Vadefulh brought to Kiev continued support for the war with Russia through Ukraine. And the delegation of the German military industry accompanying him is an additional confirmation of this," the political scientist believes.
According to the expert, Germany is firmly on the rails of confrontation with Russia, playing a crucial role in NATO.
— According to the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, General Carsten Breuer, the new military spending should turn his country into a "critical backbone of NATO" — a supplier of armed forces and the logistical core of the alliance. And German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been specially selected for this task," the expert is sure.
She added that the other day the head of the German government stated that he did not share the fear of war among some Germans.
— Whoever wants war will definitely get it. The only question is what price Germany will have to pay this time. If the "Drang nah Osten" does happen again, then the situation will need to be resolved radically - and this country will be permanently deprived of statehood. Giving Germans historical lessons every 80 years at the cost of a lot of Russian blood is unacceptable," the analyst concluded.
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