Germany
Overall Score
Details
C
Partially Done
Accomplishments:
- Has made a radical shift in its longstanding policy by committing $100B to defense spending
- Is leading the European efforts to counter Russian propaganda.
Drawbacks:
- Is reluctant to take further action against Russian trade and financial institutions.
- Has suspended the Nordstream 2 pipeline, but blocks EU's attempts to ban Russian gas and coal exports.
- Has so far failed to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons.
Condemnation
Military Support
Providing military support for Ukraine, composed of four key categories:
- Ground Forces Support (e.g. small arms, defensive equipment, anti-tank)
- Air Defense Support
- Communications Support
- Cyber Intelligence Support
In an abrupt change of policy, the German Government:
- Supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, including 3,000 anti-tank weapons, 500 Stinger anti-aircraft defence systems and 2,700 9K32 Strela-2m anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition Germany sent 14 armored vehicles and up to 10,000 tons of fuel.
- Authorized the Netherlands to send Ukraine 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and Estonia to ship nine howitzers, which had originally been sourced from Germany.
- German lawmakers overwhelmingly approved heavy weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
However,
- Germany has failed to provide heavy weapons to Ukraine, as leaked documents have revealed.
Financial & Institutional Sanctions
Identifying sanctions impacting the Russian economy as a whole, including banks, sovereign debt, industry, access to global markets, etc.
Germany supported cutting off several Russian banks from SWIFT
However:
- It is reluctant in taking further action.
- Germany's trade with Russia increased strongly right before the war.
Sanctions on Oligarchs, Kleptocrats, & Western Enablers
Sanctions on individuals in Putin's inner circle including:
- exposing & seizing their assets
- revoking their visas
- holding them legally accountable where possible
The goal is to convince these individuals that their futures would be better without Putin than with him.
- Germany seized Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s $600m superyacht.
However,
- Russian oligarchs maintain a great deal of real estate and assets in Germany, and many have valid resident permits and visas.
Diplomatic Isolation
Measures taken to isolate Russia diplomatically (e.g. recall of ambassadors & diplomats, stripping Russia of its G20 membership, etc)
- Germany declared 'significant number' of Russian diplomats as undesirable.
- Russian ambassador still stays in Berlin.
Propaganda
Combatting Putin's global propaganda network. While respecting freedom of speech, Putin should not be allowed to spread disinformation while Russia bans every single independent outlet. This measures countries' success in curbing Russian disinformation spread through Russia Today and other platforms.
German regulators blocked Russia's RT channel in early February, even before the war.
Replace Russian Energy
Replacing Russian energy exports with alternative energy sources. That includes increasing production and opening new sources from fracking to nuclear to renewables.
- Germany halted Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and plans to halve its imports of Russian oil by the summer.
- Plans to stop importing Russian oil by the end of the year even if the European Union fails to agree on an EU-wide ban
However,
- Germany relies on Russia for 55% of its gas supply and blocks EU's attempts to ban Russian gas and coal exports.