is the war in ukraine still going on 2020

To some extent, this change in European attitudes stemmed from disappointment with the situation in Ukraine. Still, Merkel continued to believe in the “new Ostpolitik” and tried to get Russia to mend its ways through situational cooperation: for instance, she worked toward freezing the Russian-Ukrainian conflict under the Minsk agreement framework.įrom 2016 to 2020, Europe tried to return to something approaching normal cooperation with Russia: there were more calls for easing sanctions, and European leaders started visiting Moscow again. Berlin imposed economic sanctions and curtailed its political relations with Moscow. The events of 2013–2014 somewhat weakened the German belief in constructive cooperation with Russia. For their part, many Germans believed Ukraine had been exaggerating the Russian threat. The Ukrainians saw this position as a sign of weakness, indecision, and even corruption. This was in part why Europeans were skeptical about the prospect of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. France and Germany consistently supported Russia’s involvement in European security. Former chancellor Willy Brandt’s Ostpolitik, continued by Angela Merkel, convinced many Germans that their country should cooperate with Russia, while Russia’s actions and threats were perceived as attempts to defend its own interests. The Germans considered the Russian military threat to be far less great than the Ukrainians did. German leaders wanted Ukraine to successfully make pro-Western changes, distance itself from Russia, and choose the European path. It stressed reforms in Ukraine, combating corruption, and transforming Ukraine’s political system. In its discussions with Europeans after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the armed conflict in the Donbas, Kyiv sought to focus on security and defense, financial assistance, and sanctions against Russia.īerlin had other priorities. In the years preceding the invasion, Ukraine and Germany had very different approaches to the threat posed by Russia. There are still palpable disagreements on many issues, such as what an acceptable outcome of the Russian-Ukrainian war would look like. While the differences were significantly bridged in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they didn’t disappear altogether. This contradiction primarily stems from the countries’ different stances on Russia. On the other hand, Kyiv and Berlin often spar publicly over a range of issues. In many ways, Ukraine and Germany are strategic allies: they actively cooperate, and German support is critical in bringing Ukraine closer to the West and repelling the Russian invasion.

Is the war in ukraine still going on 2020