Olaf Scholz waited a long time to travel to Kyiv. Earlier he would have found Ukraine in better shape, despite the war. She did amazingly well in the battles for weeks.

In the meantime, however, the Russian military has learned from the mistakes of the beginning and is becoming stronger and stronger. The Russian president also uses the time factor in another way: he wears down his real opponent, the West. Vladimir Putin’s pin-prick policy is working. Sometimes he panics against the West with hints that he would not shy away from a nuclear strike. Sometimes he throttles gas deliveries with flimsy justifications, as is the case right now.

He wants to ensure that the political representatives of the West keep an eye on him and his demands and do not give in too much to the wishes of Ukraine.

In interviews over the past few days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear that he would not believe in Germany being guided by a policy of “balancing the gaps”, i.e. making efforts on the one hand for Ukraine, but at the same time worrying that Putin will not lose face.

The Polish political scientist Piotr Buras now also writes that Germany should finally give up the idea that its role in Europe is that of an “honest broker” who balances out mutual interests at the negotiating table. He calls on Germany to take a position itself.

It should give the German government pause for thought that representatives from Eastern Europe who are close to them see them this way: trying to balance, but unclear. Of course, she must continue to support Ukraine and keep a close eye on Putin as a highly dangerous opponent. However, it is urgently necessary to make your own goals clearer. Facing Zelenskyy, facing Putin, facing the world. For example: how does Germany intend to pave the way for Ukraine to join the EU?

You can find more news and background information on the war in Ukraine here:

That happened at night: President Zelenskyj sees progress in international aid for his country. Russia raises allegations of a failed evacuation. And: Ukrainian agriculture is suffering.
“Promises don’t help on the battlefield”: Olaf Scholz is finally traveling to Kyiv on Thursday. What does the Ukrainian government expect from the Chancellor? A conversation with Selenskyj advisor Mykhailo Podoljak.
Two US citizens disappeared in eastern Ukraine after volunteering in combat: They fought voluntarily for Ukraine, and now two Americans can’t be found in the east of the country. Should Russia hold them captive, there could be significant diplomatic ramifications.
How Europe’s split can still be prevented: The longer Putin’s attack on Ukraine lasts, the clearer the rifts between Western and Eastern Europe become. Germany and France must do more to regain their credibility.