Pro-Moscow personalities, such as former SPD chancellor and Russian energy lobbyist Gerhard Schröder, are seen as toxic. Politicians who a week ago were still expressing understanding for President Putin’s arguments over Ukraine, such as prominent left-winger Sahra Wagenknecht, now say they were wrong. Support for the Russian people is undiminished. MPs in parliament on Sunday gave a long, standing ovation when Mr Scholz praised Russian anti-war protesters for their bravery. But “Putin’s war”, as it’s now called in Germany, has destroyed any lingering sympathy for the Kremlin. Germany’s dramatic foreign policy turnaround is all the more remarkable given the three parties in this governing coalition. The personalities running Germany’s government are far from hawkish Cold War warriors who relish the idea of a hike in military spending.
