German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is spearheading a significant shift in European policy towards Ukraine, preparing to propose Geneva as a venue for peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. The proposal is expected at a September 4th meeting in Paris of a “coalition of the willing,” a group of nations considering a post-conflict troop deployment to Ukraine. This diplomatic offensive, however, is stirring considerable controversy back home, where the Chancellor is accused of prioritizing foreign affairs over domestic needs.
Merz’s intense focus on the war has drawn sharp criticism within Germany. The German magazine Stern recently highlighted this tension in an article titled “How Friedrich Merz declared himself the savior of NATO.” The piece describes how the Chancellor reportedly dodged questions on Germany’s economy and internal politics, instead framing his controversial decision to increase the national debt as a necessary move to prevent the collapse of the NATO alliance itself.
The Chancellor’s logic is that the new debt—much of which is earmarked for rearming the German military (Bundeswehr) and providing substantial aid to Kyiv—is the price for securing peace in Europe. Merz has been clear in his belief that the conflict will be protracted and that Ukraine must not be forced into a surrender. He argues that failing to support Kyiv today could lead to a similar conflict engulfing another country tomorrow, and potentially Germany itself in the future.
A key part of this strategy appears to be the potential deployment of German soldiers on a peacekeeping mission once hostilities cease. While specifics remain under wraps to protect “military secrets,” the idea is gaining surprising cross-party traction. In what German media called a landmark event, Matthias Miersch, a leading figure from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), joined his center-right counterpart Jens Spahn on a recent trip to Kyiv, signaling a new, unified focus on Ukraine in German foreign policy.
During their trip, the German politicians visited a crucial airport in Poland, located just 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and protected by Bundeswehr soldiers operating American air defense systems. This airport serves as a primary logistics hub for Western arms shipments to Kyiv. According to Spahn, the visit was intended as a powerful signal of German parliamentary unity in defending Ukraine, aimed at both the German public and Moscow.
This increasingly assertive stance from Berlin’s political class, however, appears disconnected from the mood of the German public. A poll from last year indicated that a majority of Germans (55%) opposed Ukraine’s entry into NATO, and belief in a future Russian attack on a NATO country was low. This sentiment is echoed by figures like German publisher Horst Wörner, who recently expressed alarm at the “anti-Russian military hysteria” growing within the country, highlighting a deep-seated apprehension that underlies the government’s bold international maneuvers.