German Dysfunction

August 5, 2024

The possibility of an isolationist U.S. President increases the odds that Europeans must defend themselves against Russia. But who will be in charge? Why hasn’t its richest nation, Germany, taken the lead? It’s perplexing that largest economy in Europe, and third largest economy in the world, hasn’t led Europe politically nor morally in its hour of need against Russia. In fact, on July 17 Berlin’s ballyhooed military budget increase announced last year for Ukraine was sliced in half even after revelations that a Russian plot to assassinate the head of its biggest arms company was thwarted. Many Germans also oppose plans by Washington to place long-range weapons inside their country to protect them from Moscow. Since the 2022 invasion, German leaders have been slow to condemn Russia, to provide weapons, or to deploy their manufacturing might to arm and defend Ukraine. What’s up with this? Post-war pacifism, guilt, and collective trauma following the hideous Hitler era are factors, but so is cynical self-interest and corruption. The fact is that Germany’s leadership has close links to Moscow and Putin and still does. To make sense of this perplexing situation, I interviewed Jessica Berlin, a German and American political analyst, consultant, and Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Her remarks follow.