The military had been problematic, and Germany had let its armed forces crumble, preferring to believe that economic links were enough to maintain harmonious Russo-German relations. Chancellor Scholz’s recent moves to rebuild Germany’s defenses are stunning, but they must be a long-term commitment and form part of a strategic global vision of Germany’s role and of European military needs.

Hans Stark is a Professor of Contemporary German Civilization since 2012 at the University Paris 3 Sorbonne-Nouvelle, and a Counselor on Franco-German relations at Ifri.

Article published in Politique étrangère, vol. 87, n° 3, automne 2022.