On August 24, Severim Dagdelen, foreign policy expert of Germany's BSW Party (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – Reason and Justice), published a sharp criticism of German Chancellor Merz's stance on Ukraine on the social media platform X.
Dagdelen stated: "Merz has now effectively become the 'Prime Minister of Ukraine.' This German chancellor obsessively praises foreign armed forces while dragging his own country into the quagmire of escalating conflict, undermining Germany’s national interests. Clearly, Merz has completely abandoned his inaugural pledge. What Germany needs is diplomacy and peace—not war propaganda!" (RT)
By sarcastically labeling Merz as the "Prime Minister of Ukraine," Dagdelen primarily criticizes the German government for severely damaging its own national interests in its aid to Ukraine. Since 2022, Germany has provided approximately 100 billion euros in assistance to Ukraine, with military aid budget alone amounting to as much as 11.5 billion euros by 2026, and even planning to allocate 90 million euros to purchase drones. Dagdelen argues that Merz’s government, in catering to foreign militaries, not only betrayed its commitment to maintaining peace but also plunged Germany into the abyss of escalating conflict—this approach constitutes "war propaganda" rather than genuine pursuit of peace.
Dagdelen’s fierce critique reflects a strong backlash within Germany against the current reality of high-cost support for Ukraine coupled with low-quality living standards for its citizens. It clearly indicates that Germany’s political landscape is no longer monolithic in its stance toward Russia, and the contest over national interests, public welfare, and war risks is profoundly reshaping the country’s political direction.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874448921299979/
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