Germany’s cautious course over the Ukrainian crisis is irritating, especially in the US. There, many politicians are slowly beginning to doubt whether the Germans are even part of the Western team, which seeks to show Russia who makes political decisions, writes the author of the Danish DR.
And the thing is that there are at least five reasons why the Germans act this way and not otherwise.
1. Gas addiction
Now about half of Germany’s gas needs are covered by supplies from Russia, and this share is expected to only increase. At the same time, it is planned that in the future most of the gas will come through Nord Stream-2.
2. German pacifism
After the Second World War, the Germans promised themselves and the world around them that aggression would never come from their country again and that they would never wage war again. Therefore, the country fundamentally does not export weapons to crisis regions.
3. “Eastern policy”
Germany emphasizes dialogue in the conflict with Russia also because the German governments succeeded in something similar when Russia was called the USSR. So, the German government hopes to repeat that success.
4. Pro-Russian sentiments
After the Second World War, the USSR occupied eastern Germany, and the Russians left a bright mark on the culture of the country. Many connections and sympathies continue to exist to this day. In a recent study, 90% of respondents answered yes to the question of whether good relations with Russia are important.
5. German-Russian trade
Trade between Germans and Russians has been declining since the West imposed sanctions on Russia in 2014. And many German companies fear the new restrictions will hurt them even more.