To be or NATO be?

The first weeks of 2022 have seen Germany placed firmly between all chairs as the tensions between Russia and the Western powers over Ukraine keep rising. Especially in Eastern Europe, but also in London and Washington, Germany has been criticised as being too soft on Russia, which continues to threaten Ukraine with the largest military build-up in Europe since the end of the Cold War. Germany has been deaf to concerns voiced by its partners regarding the "Nord Stream 2" pipeline and has refused to export or allow exports of "lethal weapons" into Ukraine. This and remarks by the now retired chief of the German Navy, Kay-Achim Schönbach, who spoke to a Delhi-based think-tank about Putin wanting and deserving respect "on eye level", have led critics to label Germany as "weak link of NATO". Others have pointed out that the German government has stated in clear terms that they will support massive sanctions against the Russian Federation should it invade Ukraine.

Which role does Germany think it fulfils within NATO and what would the other NATO members, especially in Eastern Europe, wish Germany would contribute? What are the guiding principles of German security policy? Where is NATO heading in this standoff with Putin? What could (and should) Germany do to ease tensions in Eastern Europe?

Tagesspiegel-journalist Dr. Christoph von Marschall will discuss these points with former senior NATO official Dr. Stefanie Babst and Edward Lucas, who has covered Eastern Europe as a journalist and book author for more than three decades.