Even as massacred civilians are found in the streets and ditches of Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Germany still prefers short-term gains through the energy trade with Russia to protecting the rules based world order that made it rich.
While some have blamed Germany’s Nord Stream 2 hypocrisy for implicitly signalling to the Kremlin that it was okay to go ahead with the invasion, others have picked up on the fact that Berlin seems to be pushing for a fast end to the conflict (which would see Kyiv forgo the Donbas and Crimea), neither of which meshes well with the proclaimed Zeitenwende.
In trying to act far-sighted by preserving its industry by importing Russian gas, the German government is acting short-sightedly by accident.
To recap: the German government is reluctant to support a swift and complete de-SWIFT-ing of Russian banks. It continues to block an energy embargo that most argue would hurt Russia, stating that a lack of Russian energy would threaten stability at home.
Some German politicians have also justified this by pointing to the long-term, like Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, who said that Russia would, at some point, have to be brought back to the table in some capacity; whether that is with or without Putin is not clear.
Planetary climate neutrality, long-term stability in Eurasia and a resolution to the war on Ukraine with minimal pain to civilian populations are reasons German politicians have cited a need to keep communication lines with the Kremlin open. They have been resolute that Russian cooperation would be necessary to achieve these goals.
While that may be true, the reality is that the relatively peaceful multilateral rules-based world order is at stake.
However noble the long-term goals Germany may seek to achieve by partially appeasing the Kremlin, Berlin is ultimately endangering any country with a larger neighbour.
It shows that personal economic short-term interests and voter comfort are more important than putting full weight behind the attacked party and reinforcing the multilateral rules-based world order.
Never has a conflict, a war of aggression, been this close to modern Germany. Never has the victim been this clear-cut, this black and white. Never has Germany been more able to help by virtue of geographical proximity.
If Germany, whose official mantra of “never again” (a relic of the horrors of Nazism) leads its foreign policy, can not help defend Ukraine with full non-war force, the world’s fourth-largest economy cannot be counted on in any future war of aggression.
Any small country with a much larger neighbour with imperialistic ambitions and little regard for rules and treaties, beware. The Germans, made fat, rich and slow through trade, will not come to your aid.
They have benefitted all they could and won’t step in to stand up for anyone with something as measly as a small percentage of Germany’s annual arms exports in military aid for Ukraine or a stop to financing Russia’s war through paying for energy and commodities.
Whether climate change or world hunger, humanity’s largest challenges can only be tackled through cooperation. Cooperation, which must be built on a scaffolding of international rules and treaties, and whose most determined defender right now is Kyiv.
The Roundup
Germany announced the expulsion of 40 Russian diplomats in response to the discovery of apparent mass graves and executed civilians in Bucha, near Kyiv, adding that it seeks to end all trade relations with Russia.
Across the Atlantic, US President Joe Biden called for a “war crimes trial” over the alleged atrocities, vowing tougher sanctions against Moscow, as Zelenskyy urged the world to acknowledge a “genocide” by Russian troops near Kyiv. Various challenges, however, stand in the way.
As most humanitarian corridors are closed, a European non-profit health organisation is giving online training to doctors in Ukraine to help them face the wave of casualties from the conflict.
Europe’s new push for diversification from Russia’s energy has revived talks about a pipeline bringing natural gas from the Eastern Mediterranean to Greece and the rest of south-east Europe. However, the European Commission still insists on the EastMed pipeline’s commercial viability before giving its final blessing.
Emboldened by a fourth consecutive landslide election victory, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is expected to dig in against energy sanctions on Russia and toughen his stance in talks with Brussels to unlock frozen EU funds.
As EU institutions are moving to regulate the crypto industry, European lawmakers have been subjected to unprecedented levels of online harassment.
Look out for…
- Council of Europe: General Assembly of the Conference of INGOs.
- Meeting of the Advisory Forum of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
- European Parliament plenary continues.
Views are the author’s.
[Edited by Alice Taylor/Nathalie Weatherald]
Source: euractiv.com
