EU Summit: Scholz on defense

The same look in the international press must have surprised Olaf Scholz. The British newspaper “The Times” writes in Monday’s editorial that Germany seems to be the clear loser in the diplomatic arena. Germany’s reluctance to offer arms and aid to Kiev and its uncertainty about the terms of a ceasefire and the end of the war have become a source of frustration for allies and many Germans. According to The Times, the lack of a Berlin-based leadership encourages Putin, and conflicting messages about Ukraine have exacerbated the security situation.

Critical comments and sharp tones

You can read similar critical comments in other influential media or listen to international thinktank. “At the beginning of this crisis, Olaf Scholz’s strategy seemed to be to do as little as possible and as late as possible not to end up on the wrong side of history,” criticizes Jessica Berlin. by the German Marshall Fund. Polish President Andrzej Duda, on the other hand, publicly asked why the exchange of tank rings that Warsaw had handed over to Ukraine did not work, when Germany had promised Poland that it would send spare parts.

Sharp anti-chancellor voices also come from the European Parliament: “I expect a completely different attitude from a democratic Germany. “After the horrors of World War II, it is its responsibility to take the lead in helping Ukraine militarily and financially,” Liberal MP and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt wrote on Twitter.

Difficult climate of discussions

In this climate, Olaf Scholz will find it difficult to pursue his goals in the summit discussions on Ukraine’s common policy or even to act as a mediator between the major EU camps.

This week’s special meeting aims to prepare the ground for the regular summit at the end of June, at which basic decisions will then be made. This includes the issue of Ukraine’s membership. Should Ukraine be given at least candidate status or not? France and the Netherlands, for example, oppose it, while many Eastern Europeans support Kiev’s request. “Candidate status is a political decision,” says Latvian Karins. He does not force you to be accepted and is a signal. The EU must be open to new members. But since there is also unanimity here, it does not currently seem like a positive decision.

The Latvian Prime Minister reminded that the essence of the problems is that “we get stuck in the details and forget the big picture: Ukraine is fighting for our values ​​(…) and we must support them.” But that includes the open question of what the end of the game should look like. The three big countries France, Germany and Italy want a peace solution soon, even if Ukraine has to give up some of its territories. Poland and the Baltic states are the biggest critics of proposals to accept territorial losses for the sake of an agreement and a ceasefire with President Putin. Eastern Europeans and the US want to continue the war until Russia is decisively weakened. This fundamental contradiction is likely to put EU unity to the test in the coming months./DW