Scholz’s last ditch attempt to save himself by supporting Ukraine

Facing growing pressure at home due to weakness on Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made an unannounced visit to Kyiv this morning, marking his first trip to the Ukrainian capital since June 2022. During this visit, Scholz pledged an additional €650 million ($680 million) in military aid to Ukraine, with deliveries expected within the month.

This visit comes amidst domestic criticism for a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which some viewed as undermining efforts to isolate the Kremlin. Additionally, Scholz is preparing for a challenging re-election campaign following the collapse of his coalition government, with snap elections scheduled for February.

During Scholz’s time in office, Germany has become Ukraine’s second-largest military donor after the United States. However, his overly cautious approach on anything Russian-related, such as the refusal to provide Taurus long-range cruise missiles and constant mentions of diplomacy as well as a long history of pushing verbatim Russian disinformation narratives, has drawn criticism. Recently, Scholz criticized Friedrich Merz, the CDU/CSU party leader and his main political rival, for Merz’s willingness to provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine, stating, “You don’t play Russian roulette with Germany’s security.”

Scholz had the chance to do the right thing, but has failed spectacularly, now to likely pay for it at the ballot box.