Why Germany is right to be cautious over Ukraine

The unenviable position of Russian diplomats, ostracised across the western world and subject to walk-outs, paint-attacks and eggings, has been much remarked upon in recent weeks. But there is another group of diplomats who are having almost as hard a time, and with far less justification.

The foreign envoys of Germany are finding their country in the dock for what much of Europe and North America sees as the insufficient “esprit de corps” shown by their chancellor in providing military help for Ukraine.

Germany’s current diplomatic difficulties bring other western perceptions of its Ukraine policy full circle. Berlin caught a great deal of flak in what is now known to have been the run-up to the Russian invasion by offering only helmets rather than the weapons and ammunition other countries were pledging. “What’s next, pillows?” was just one of the sarcastic comments from Ukrainians at the time.