Consumables on a Delicate Line
Annalena Baerbock commented in a ZDF interview on how Germany has viewed Russia’s six months of military actions in Ukraine and why she rejected the idea of opening peace talks with Vladimir Putin. The focus was on weighing the current course, the prospects for Ukraine, and the broader consequences for European security.
The minister noted that it remains unclear whether Ukraine will achieve victory. Still, she emphasized that Germany would pursue every possible option to support Kyiv, underscoring that Ukraine has fought for six months for its freedom, its national order, and a stable European security framework.
Baerbock described Germany’s arms supplies as running on a fine line. She pointed out an ongoing shortage of German stocks while stressing the sense of responsibility to assist Ukraine without compromising Germany’s own defenses.
She mentioned Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24 as a reminder of the need to assess how else Kyiv can be aided, while acknowledging questions about sustaining weapons deliveries given Germany’s own equipment levels.
“For Ukraine, it is better to deliver today than tomorrow,” she said, adding that Germany must also consider medium-term needs. The strategy included recognizing that German weapon production had to pivot to meet Ukraine’s demands, reflecting a broader mobilization of the domestic defense industry.
We Didn’t Listen to Our Friends
In discussing what she described as a loss of confidence among Eastern European and Baltic partners in German foreign policy, Baerbock acknowledged that many observers felt under pressure. She noted that supporting North Stream 2 had overlooked concerns raised by Baltic and Eastern European allies.
Her party had previously criticized the pipeline and warned against heavy reliance on Russian energy. She added that relations with allies also faced strains when discussions turned to the exchange of heavy weapons with Eastern partners. She argued that the supply of heavy weapons remained inconsistent, with some governments initially ruling out weapon deliveries to Ukraine during the early stages of the special operation.
Looking ahead to the fall, Baerbock urged rapid, additional deliveries to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself while preparing for a potential continuation of the conflict into the next year. She noted that Iris-T air defense systems would be sent to Ukraine in the coming weeks, with other systems to follow next year.
She expressed confidence that Putin’s aims had not yet succeeded, pointing to a six-month duration that contradicted plans to swiftly capture Kyiv and overthrow its government. She maintained that negotiations to end the war were not a mistake, but that the Russians had chosen to derail diplomacy after efforts around February 24 to avert war.
German Arms Deliveries
On June 21, the German government released a list detailing weapons supplied to Kyiv and outlined further delivery plans. The package included 30 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, the Iris-T air defense system, and MARS multiple launch rocket systems, among other items.
Russian authorities have repeatedly urged Western states to halt arms deliveries to Kyiv and warned that Western weapons in Ukraine could become legitimate targets. The foreign minister in Moscow reiterated this stance, framing the situation as a proxy conflict.
In June, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Berlin’s commitment to supporting Ukraine while seeking to avoid a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. He emphasized that Germany acts in coordination with its allies regarding arms shipments.