How does the German public view the realignment of security policy?
“Zeitenwende on Tour” in Chemnitz

The war in Ukraine continues, Russian propaganda-driven disinformation is on the rise, alliances are under strain, and looming trade conflicts are weighing on the economy. This destabilisation of global affairs is also affecting Germany and necessitates a realignment of our foreign and security policy. The key aspects of this shift were the focus of the Zeitenwende on Tour town hall event, organised by the Munich Security Conference and supported by us, which took place on 20 March at Chemnitz’s football stadium.

The panel of invited experts included Nico Lange, Senior Fellow at the Zeitenwende on Tour initiative of the Munich Security Conference; Julia Friedlander, Executive Director of Atlantik-Brücke e.V.; Vice Admiral Dr Thomas Daum, Inspector of the Cyber and Information Domain of the Bundeswehr; Oleksii Makeiev, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Federal Republic of Germany; and Torsten Kleditzsch, Editor-in-Chief of Freie Presse. The discussion was chaired by Rixa Fürsen, a journalist with Politico.

Europe needs strength and strategy for negotiations

Around 150 Chemnitz residents attended the event and actively engaged in the discussion - often with words of caution. “This war in Ukraine cannot go on like this. Soldiers are dying on both sides. Why aren’t we negotiating with Putin?” several audience members asked. The experts responded that if a solution were to be reached at the negotiating table, Putin would first have to be forced to the table. To achieve this, Europe needed both a position of strength and a clear strategy - neither of which, Julia Friedlander observed, had been much in evidence so far. She also pointed out that merely engaging in dialogue would not bring an end to the fighting - a lesson currently being learned by US President Donald Trump.

“How well do we really understand what Putin wants?” asked a young man in the audience. Nico Lange advised taking the Russian president at his word, as he made no secret of his intentions. “Many in Germany still cling to the romantic notion of an equal partnership with Russia. It’s time even the last few let go of that idea.” Vice Admiral Daum added: “Putin is prepared to accept the deaths of at least 800 Russian soldiers every day. He transitioned Russia’s economy to a wartime footing years ago. What is developing there is not just aimed at Ukraine. And it has already begun here: acts of sabotage, cyberattacks. We need to take this very, very seriously.”

Germany and Europe must become more resilient

Should Germany reinstate conscription? “I don’t want something like that to be decided on my behalf,” said a young man in the audience. Nico Lange pointed out that political parties had already taken a stance on this matter in their election manifestos for the German parliamentary elections. Vice Admiral Daum added: “The Bundeswehr - Germany’s armed forces - also protects those who oppose us. But given the current threat environment, we must all stop and think about whether we actually want to live in the Russian sphere of influence. This isn’t about being deployed to the front lines in Ukraine. What we need are civil defenders - people who can safeguard critical infrastructure here.“

And who will defend Europe’s security in the meantime? “We will, for as long as we can,” said Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev. He urged the audience to learn from his country’s experience: “Only those who can defend themselves serve as a deterrent. Otherwise, you will be attacked.”

Find out more about our cooperation with the Munich Security Conference here.