The war in Ukraine is deeply affecting the future of Germany and Europe. But one thing is for sure: there will be a day after. Since war has a tendency to escalate into extremes, it must be politically contained with the aim of ending it as soon as possible and preventing it in the future. This is particularly relevant when, as in the case of the war in Ukraine, nuclear powers are directly and indirectly involved. Regardless of the outcome of the war, Berlin will have to spend more on its own and EU defense and invest much more into European integration. Given the resulting heavy financial burden and the inevitable domestic struggle for resources it continues to be in Germany’s interest to work towards restoring the Harmel-formula of 1967, according to which sufficient defense capability and détente can enable security between system opponents. After all, Russia will not disappear from the scene and will one day be interested in co-operation again.
Hans-Georg Ehrhart: Opinion – Germany, Europe, and the potential outcome of the Ukraine war. In: E-International Relations, January 19, 2025, https://www.e-ir.info/category/articles/