On Monday, April 4th, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier admitted fault after his extensive appeasement of Vladimir Putin’s aggressive advancement and the prolonged advocacy for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline with Russia. With close ties to the Kremlin and a long history in favor of Western rapprochement with Russia, President Steinmeier now believes it was an apparent mistake to engage in policy with Russia following the annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine.
One of Germany’s primary efforts to engage with Moscow and bring the nation closer to the Western sphere was cultivating energy transit business, such as the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. “We failed to build a common European house,” Steinmeier said. “We were sticking to a bridge in which Russia no longer believed and which other partners had warned us against,” he added. Furthermore, the German president expressed his surprise surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, noting, “I did not believe Vladimir Putin would embrace his country’s complete economic, political and moral ruin for the sake of his imperial madness.”
Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who served as Foreign Minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel and chief of staff to one another former chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, before being elevated to the presidency, has played a leading role in many of the complex entanglements and friendly gestures toward Putin in the last two decades. Many EU nations relayed their concerns regarding the tightening of commercial and energy ties, as well as being worried that the Kremlin had manipulated Germany. However, Steinmeier disputed this with the idea that this closeness would form interdependence between the two nations and, as the Washington Post describes it, “Would make the Russian Bear cuddly rather than scary.”
Since the invasion of Ukraine, it has been reported that Germany has been reluctant to become involved in supporting Volodymyr Zelensky’s defense against Putin’s atrocious war crimes and aggression. Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador in Berlin, has been an outspoken figure in the last few months, as he attempts to remind Germans that they are not following through on their historical responsibility and obligation. Thus far, many in the global community believe they have not proved this German duty through any actions taken, such as illustrating their backed support by means of sending adequate resources to Ukraine.
Although a new step in the right direction, Germany’s history of hesitancy and misguided appeasement efforts throughout the years have ultimately enabled Russia to take the aggressive advancements and war crimes that are currently taking place in Ukraine. Germany and Steinmeier’s presidency acts as a modern-day example of why nations must not support hostile, autocratic leaders based upon possible mere business benefits. It is now crucial that President Steinmeier take a firm stance to aid Ukraine –through medical and financial support– as well as take explicit actions to deter Putin from continuing the war, such as by cutting ties surrounding energy and commerce with Russia in order to weaken the country.
