Nawar Samad

 On 1 March 2024, Russian sources close to the Kremlin leaked a secret conversation on social media. The leaked talks had taken place between high-ranking German air force officers, who discussed the possibility of using long-range German Taurus missiles in Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly refused to supply these weapons to Kiev. The leak has sparked debate about the extent of Russian capabilities in hacking Western military and security institutions, and also revealed various weaknesses in German institutions.

What Does the Leaked German Conversation on Taurus Missiles to Ukraine Reveal?

An Awkward Spot:

Dr. Mahmoud Zakaria‏‏

German involvement across various regions of Africa has evolved significantly over the last several years. Most recently, the government of Chad expelled Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke, who has been the German ambassador to Chad since 2021, due to his "non-respect of diplomatic customs" and overinvolvement in the country’s affairs. The German Federal Foreign Office stated that it was unclear why the country’s ambassador had been expelled, and that it was trying to resolve matters with the Chadian government. This incident has had direct effects on German influence in Africa, which has gradually expanded since the early 1990s and the end of the Cold War.

Understanding Germany’s Involvement in Africa

Mounting Challenges:

Dr. Youssef Dawood‏‏

After German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Beijing on 4 November 2022, questions began to arise regarding why Germany was pursuing a unilateral policy at odds with that of the EU as a whole. Although there have been various recent signs of Chinese-German rapprochement, the chancellor’s trip stepped up the special relationship between the two countries. Other European nations that have important trade relations with China, such as France and Greece, have not been open about their evolving ties given the policy of containment towards China and Russia that the West has adopted since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Scholz’s trip marked the first visit to Beijing by a top Western official since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis.

Why is the German Chancellor Set on Pursuing Ties with Beijing?

Against the Grain:

Dr. Mohamed Motawe‏‏

Elections for the German Federal Parliament, the Bundestag, took place on September 26, 2021, given Chancellor Angela Merkel’s early announcement that she would not run for elections nor seek to remain chancellor, a position which she had occupied since 2005. Undoubtedly, the departure of Merkel, who remained in power for nearly 16 years, will leave a big hole in Berlin, and her successor will have much to do,  amid numerous domestic challenges and complex international equations. Merkel’s influence was not limited to Germany, she was an indispensable leader in Europe at large, which led many observers to dub her as the ‘Iron Lady.’

Germany

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