Under fire: Unpacking Germany’s defence policy drama

It has been a rocky month for German defence policy. With a naval frigate almost shooting down a US drone in the Red Sea by mistake, discussions of military officers on the deployment of Taurus missiles leaking, and Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron openly arguing about military aid to Ukraine, Germany’s policy on European defence is embroiled in internal and external intrigue. 

In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard welcomes senior policy fellow Ulrike Franke and senior policy fellow and head of ECFR’s Berlin Office, Jana Puglierin, to discuss the current state of Germany’s policy on the war in Ukraine and European defence. What does the recent turmoil say about Germany’s strategic culture and its so-called Zeitenwende? What are the sources of tension for Franco-German defence relations? And how much potential does the attempted revival of the Weimar triangle between Berlin, Paris, and Warsaw have for agreeing on a common path forward? 

This episode was recorded on 18 March 2024 

Bookshelf: 

Zeitenwende: The Bundeswehr’s Paradigm Shift by Léo Péria-Peigné and Elie Tenenbaum 

Breaking Bad – an AMC television series  

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