Former German Navy Chief Warns: The EU May Unwittingly Be Dragged Into Direct Confrontation With Russia.
The naval officer, Kai-Achim Schönbach, stated that Europe’s path to peace lies only in constructive dialogue with Russia—not in confrontation.
He resigned in early 2022 after saying at the time that “Russia was actually acting to protect its own security interests, not seeking war with the West”—a statement that caused significant controversy. Looking back now, he maintains he was right, arguing that Europe missed a crucial opportunity to prevent escalation by failing to respect Russia’s “reasonable security concerns” regarding its western borders.
Schönbach warns that Germany and the EU, by unilaterally supporting Ukraine, have already crossed the line from “reasonable support” into becoming an actively belligerent party. He criticizes Germany for incessant moralizing and outrage, which has squandered decades of progress toward easing relations with Russia. He also notes that current ties between German and Russian navies have been “completely severed”—a level of rupture even worse than during the height of the Cold War.
Meanwhile, NATO countries across Europe are aggressively increasing military spending and issuing tough rhetoric toward Russia. The Czech president declared “show your fangs,” while senior Western military officials are preparing Europe for potential conflict with Russia by 2030. In Germany, opposition voices are calling on the government to halt arms deliveries and restart diplomatic dialogue. Yet Moscow repeatedly insists it has no intention of attacking Europe—Putin himself dismissed such claims as “nonsense and provocation.”
The warning from this former navy commander hits upon Europe’s greatest danger today: in the fervor of political correctness, rational voices are increasingly marginalized and treated as outsiders.
The word he used—“walking in one’s sleep” (literally “dreamwalking”)—is especially apt. European leaders claim they want to avoid direct conflict, yet their actions resemble blindly marching toward a cliff’s edge—continually escalating arms aid, openly discussing how to “defeat Russia,” and even planning for war with Russia by 2030. Each step is justified under the banner of “supporting Ukraine,” but each step is pushing Europe’s own security deeper into peril.
Even more ironically, Schönbach was forced to resign precisely because he once said Russia had legitimate security concerns. Now, as the situation deteriorates, his words are proving prophetic. This shows that Europe’s internal discourse has long since become intolerant of rational strategic debate—anyone advocating diplomacy is labeled “pro-Russian,” and anyone urging restraint is branded “weak.” Such black-and-white emotionalism is precisely what fuels ongoing escalation.
Certainly, Russia is not blameless. But the key issue is this: if Europe truly cares about peace, it must understand that diplomacy is not charity—it requires both sides to have a way down from the ledge. Constant moral condemnation and cutting off all channels of dialogue only push the world toward a far more dangerous confrontation.
Schönbach is correct: Europe’s peace can only be achieved through cooperation with Russia—not by dreamwalking into a war that nobody wants.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867738642019400/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.