Why Germany has a moral dilemma over Ukraine - expert explains

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Published 2022-07-04
We all know that the War in Ukraine has up-ended peace in Europe and shaken geopolitics on the continent. (Subscribe: bit.ly/C4_News_Subscribe)

Nowhere more so that in Germany - where the Chancellor spoke of a turning point - with the country pledging to ditch its ties to Moscow and arm Ukraine.

But months later, that turning point appears to have been more words than action - with European allies frustrated with Germany’s apparent inability to fully commit to the Ukrainian cause.

Today, our Europe Editor Matt Frei looks at the reasons why Germany’s past means it is more hesitant to fully commit to a European conflict - and whether that will finally change as this war drags on.

Sources: DW News, France 24

Producer: Rachel Evans
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All Comments (21)
  • @mowana1232
    I am upset with me that I only found this interview today, two months after it was posted, but better now than never. It encapsulated why I, a German, value English journalism so much. In a world were news comes in three-word-headlines and "commentary" comes from people who have absolutely no idea what they are talking about on Twitter, this is invaluable. An interview with a journalist like Matt Fry, who has in depth knowledge of Germany, but still has enough distance to the topic to offer a unique perspective that German journalists that are in the middle of things, find hard to achieve. Thank you!
  • @minimax9452
    as a german I like to remember you : you wanted us military weak over decades because you were anxious. now you want us military strong for your purpose. we have to decide on our own. whatever germany does it is criticized.
  • @rjensen905
    So to be moral, Germany needs to stop buying cheap(er) oil, gas and coal from Russia and buy twice as expensive oil, gas and coal from US instead.
  • @beakhammer2638
    Amazing intelligence and wonderful spectrum of English expression. Time for another video on Berlin or some other place in Germany Matt! Excellent Interviewer as well. Well researched questions. From Ireland
  • @soulflower8687
    Matt Frei is absolutely brilliant as an explainer of the German situation. Excellent journalism.
  • Now I'm amazed how deep they dive into the topics on German affairs, history and how things are connected. They got a better understanding about my Country then I'll ever have. Impressive!
  • @ws175
    Thank you for explaining Olaf Scholz. I am a German citizen and I did not understand him. Unfortunately Scholz can not explain himself. His public communication is too primitive to convey deeper insights. What you say about political DNA of many/most Germans and the feeling if guilt towards Russia and Poland is completely right. This guilt was handed to me by my grandfather who was forced to be a soldier in Hitlers war on Russia, where Granddad experienced total brutatality and total destruction of everything FROM BOTH SIDES against civilians. But the Germans started it (not counting brutality against their own populations by the so called leaders of both sides). Now anyway, coming back to Scholz: Why is doing next to nothing (my impression) helping Germany to avoid sliding into world war 3 ? Isn't WW3 on already ? Aren't we just in the phase of the phoney war ?
  • Having lived with one foot in Germany for more than half of my 70 year long life and being very involved in German politics I believe this to be an excellent analysis
  • @johns9969
    UK made the same assessment for the Iraq Invasion. Waiting for that War Crimes trial...
  • @tonygold1661
    Matt Frei always provides a valuable and informed perspective.
  • @mohammeds00
    Can Germany get away without Russian energy? I think that's the core factor in German decision making
  • I do always love to hear Matt's informed analysis on complex topics. He has a way of breaking down very lofty subjects into understandable terms. Thank you Channel 4
  • @PhilKanuOji
    This podcast is what Channel 4 News should do more of!
  • @elsonck2523
    He says...the US is worried about a Russian nuclear attack while the EU is worried about Russian expansion. Imo, Putin will do neither unless pushed by the US and NATO and is mostly concerned in securing independence for the DPR and LPR and keeping Crimea, nothing more.
  • Good analyses by Matt Fry on Germany. I wish he could do a similar one explaining the hawkish view of UK governments, going to war easily (Irak 2x, Syria almost, Lybia...) I quite like the dithering of the Germans and actually Merkel and Scholz employing engagement before sending weapons. We Germans (at least the older generation, as matt Fry rightly pointed out) know that nobody wins in the war, and in this war also no winners apart from some weapon industry in the US and Russia. I think that is a big difference to German, French and Italians, the British still think war is a means to solve conflict, something you can actually win. I heard it too many times in this country. On the continent we all know that nobody wins any war and it will be no different in the Ukraine. It has to stop now. Please start peace negotiations now, as its only Ukrainians and Russians that suffer.
  • Is it me or this is a very bias interview, Using Russia is a boogie man
  • @auntihooha
    Here we are, in the Real Game of Thrones. Our world's twisted, rich, bored, out-of-touch leaders are having a p***ing contest and we commoners are the ones getting wet.
  • As a German, I can admit that this interview reflects appropriate thoughts.
  • @naranjo99
    Did it only become a bad idea for Europe to have normal relations with Russia when the US and UK objected?
  • @denizwesley3227
    People like to criticize just about everything Germany does, but it seems like nobody can come up with what Germany should be doing instead. Citicizing an action does not by default suggest the opposite action without explicitly stating so. That’s what I take from this discussion.