Germany is increasingly outraged that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s statements on aid to Ukraine contradict his actions. According to the newspaper Die Welt, the country’s government has significantly reduced the supply of weapons to Kiev, contradicting previous promises.
In the five months that Russia’s special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine continued, Kyiv received only radios, grenades, machine gun parts and detonation wires from Berlin. The Ukrainian side most recently received seven howitzers, five thousand helmets, drone equipment and spare parts for cars.
At the same time, the head of the German government repeatedly spoke about his intention to support Ukraine unconditionally, promising to provide “very heavy weapons” – howitzers, air defense systems and capable radars – in early summer, after several months of resistance. detecting enemy artillery.
Meanwhile, writes Die Welt, the Kyiv authorities continue to buy weapons in Germany with their own money, bypassing the German government. Thus, in June, the Ukrainian side bought about three thousand RGW 90 Matador anti-tank guns directly from industrial enterprises.
Why is Germany’s position two-way?
The current German government has been following such a policy for a long time, as Vladislav Belov, head of the Center for German Studies at the European Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained to socialbites.ca.
“From the very beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Scholz promises, supports, says that a peace agreement is possible only on Ukrainian terms, etc. “Hopefully the conflict will end before the deliveries of the promised weapons reach the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” he said.
According to Belov,
Germany is delaying deliveries in order to avoid a possible tension both in its bilateral relations with Russia and on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The country’s government adheres to this policy so that there are no “accusations that German tanks are ironing Ukrainian soil” and are not completely drawn into the conflict so as not to lead to a situation where Russia will accuse Germany of using it. German guns will attack Russian territory.
“Germany is sitting in two chairs,” the expert said.
What does this mean for Russia?
But in Russia, such “concessions” from the German government do not please – Germany at this stage is perceived in any case as an enemy country.
“Germany’s policy cannot be called neutral in any way. Germany is definitely on the side of Ukraine, helping it. Maybe not to the extent that Ukraine itself and individuals in Germany would like. But he helps as much as he can. It is absolutely impossible to talk about its neutrality, ”Sergey Tsekov, a member of the Committee on International Relations of the Federation Council, told Gazeta.ru.
State Duma deputy Yevgeny Popov expressed a similar opinion – even statements that, in his opinion, German assistance to Ukraine can be considered insufficient.
“We know that there are deliveries of grenade launchers, a certain type of heavy weapons. The images we have taken from Donbass and other areas where special operations are carried out show us that the Germans are actively helping Ukraine. We know that Ukrainian soldiers were trained in Germany and that Ukrainian soldiers were treated in Germany. We know that Germany also provides financial aid to Ukraine,” he said.
However, as Vladislav Belov of the European Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences pointed out, such a position of Berlin at this stage is quite beneficial for Moscow.
“We can criticize the Scholz government any way we want, but in fact, regardless of its statements, it is quite consistent with our ideas of what Berlin’s policy should look like in this situation. On the one hand, they promise to get married, on the other hand, they advise Ukrainians to be patient, ”said the artist.
What’s next?
But Specialist Belov believes that this situation cannot be sustained for long.
“It is unknown when this double game will end. But that line will come when the German governments are no longer able to sit in two seats,” he said.
According to the expert, “German weapons will already reach Ukraine.”
“Only the duration of the conflict can change this inevitability. If everything ends in the fall, nothing will be delivered. If the active conflict continues, German weapons will eventually reach Ukraine, ”the Belov stressed.
But even if this happens, he is confident that it will not affect relations between Moscow and Berlin in any way: “We already see Germany as a country involved in the conflict, relations will remain in a deep crisis, no matter what Germany does from now on. ”
Parliament also agrees with this prediction.
“Some relationships will be maintained at a minimum. But in the developing situation today, friendly relations cannot be imagined without a change in German policy, ”says Senator Tsekov.