War in Ukraine as a Turning Point? Perspectives on Germany’s Defense Policy

Speakers:

Ivan Krastev, Chair of the Board, Center for Liberal Strategies; Permanent Fellow, Institute for Human Sciences

Sigmar Gabriel, Former Federal Minister and Vice Chancellor, Chairman of Atlantik-Brücke

The discussion is moderated by Anna Kuchenbecker, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, European Council on Foreign Relations.

In a recent interview with the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, political scientist Ivan Krastev talks about Germany’s policy towards Russia since the end of the Cold War and European security policy prospects. He argues that German foreign and defense policy has been operating on flawed premises, especially the expectation that Russia “sooner or later will follow Germany’s Post-War development, including the economic uprising.” Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, German chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a “Zeitenwende”, a fundamental change in Germany’s foreign and defense posture. In this online event, Mr. Krastev will discuss the war on Ukraine and German foreign policy with Atlantik-Brücke Chairman Sigmar Gabriel.