Germany openly criticized the United States (U.S.) for its actions during the Iraq war. Now, with the Russian-Ukraine crisis intensified, Germany has decided to strengthen its military and directly provide military armaments to Ukraine, taking a detour from its once pacifist military tendency. As international relations prove to take a more complicated turn by the hour and threaten the peace of the European continent, Germany has been pressured into pursuing its own rearmament - a shocking decision that has many ramifications not just for Europe, but for the globe.

February 27 marks a big shift in Germany’s military strategies: the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, declared a rearmament of Germany along with a boost to its military system, discarding its pacifist stance which was once recognized as a key characteristic of the post World War II (WWII) German military. This striking decision was undoubtedly influenced by the Russian-Ukraine crisis, since the German government decided its previously passive and relatively poised stance on the military is now posing a threat to their own national security. Russia is threatening nearby countries, making it difficult to predict whether the current war will be restricted to the lands of Ukraine and Russia. 

The German perception of the drastically changing international situation is well summarized in the words of Chancellor Scholz: “We are at a turning point… The world is not the same anymore,” as he stated in the The Spectator. He announced numerous plans, such as investing 100 billion euros in the military and increasing its defense by spending more than 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) every year from now on - higher than the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standards. Germany will also build two Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminals and are debating on prolonging the operation of coal and nuclear stations. Nonetheless, one of the most surprising proposals from the German government is the decision to export its own military weapons to Ukraine. In detail, according to Politico, the German government has sent 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine.

Pacifism of Germany in the Past

This is a stark difference from the earlier position of Germany refusing to support Ukraine with military armaments, as the German Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht, said on January 22 that supplying Ukraine with weapons will do little to alleviate the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Germany has even been mocked by Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko, who responded with “What will Germany send next? Pillows?” when Germany offered to send 5000 helmets and medical aid on January 21, according to Al Jazeera. The past military history of Germany essentially followed the steps of pacifism, where Germany was reluctant to participate in wars of other countries. 

According to Professor Kim Byung Ki (Graduate School of International Studies), several reasons can be identified for Germany’s pacifism. The first is the tendency to avoid direct war. There have been many war-related conflicts connected to Germany, most notably WWII as its main instigator. The tragic loss of countless lives during WWII, the historical criticism which Germany has received, the former division of West and East Germany, and the expected economic stress and its current status as, in essence, a financial and military superpower in Europe and potential European concerns all dissuade the German public from supporting direct participation in war except for self-defense within the context of NATO.

The second is the complicated procedure of exporting military weapons. A consensus between the president and the parliament must be reached after passing numerous regulations. In addition, there has been a coalition between the center-left Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) to restrict the export of German arms to crisis regions, according to Deutsche Welle. Not to mention, on a realistic note, as Professor Kim said, “The direct participation of the U.S. to support Ukraine with their own military weapons is improbable; however, in the context of NATO and only under the condition of NATO members being attacked by Moscow will Russia be strongly provoked. This might bring upon another Europewide war or a Cold War involving heightened militarization of the new members that have joined NATO since 1991, which may or may not involve the risk of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and certainly conventional weapons.”

Why did Germany Change its Mind?

Due to these reasons, the German government’s decision to ship its armaments is, theoretically, a deviation from its past pacifist route in its military policies. This indicates that the Russian-Ukraine crisis contains far deeper implications for Germany, such as a security threat to not only countries under the influence of Germany but also the mainland of Germany itself.

Professor Kim also provided insight into Germany’s unexpected transition. The main reason is to protect the national security of countries close to Ukraine, including Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Moldova, which were previously either under the Soviet Union or its military alliance called the Warsaw Pact Organization. Russia has been bombarding areas in Ukraine close to the borders of other countries, leading to a very risky and destabilized security situation for those neighboring countries. These countries have been, in fact, under the influence of Germany and, correspondingly, if the security of these countries is unsettled, it poses a threat to the security of Germany as well.

This strategic deployment of weapons by Germany was welcomed by members of NATO, including the UK and France. Ukraine and its neighboring countries are positioned in the eastern defense line of the European continent. However, the neighboring countries share a short history of independence from the Soviet Union and thus have insufficient military to guard themselves. Professor Kim clarifies that with the provocative attacks from Russia, the lack of capabilities to guard their own countries could ripple over the whole of Europe, causing an overall instability. This explains why other European countries, such as the UK, France, and other members of NATO, in addition to the U.S., gladly advocated the rearmament of Germany, even if Ukraine is not a member of NATO.

Thus, by peering into the case of Germany, a complexly woven fabric of international relationships can be identified, starting from Ukraine and all the way past the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S. Germany’s decision to interfere directly with the Russian-Ukraine crisis may leave significant ramifications for the international community, as many more European countries may follow the footsteps of Germany and thereby further provoke the Russian government’s next military movements.