German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised in February to overtake his nation in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Six months after this Zeitenwende—turning level—it’s going higher than many anticipated even when worse than some hoped.
Mr. Scholz introduced three transformations in his startling speech to lawmakers on Feb. 27, three days after Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion began. First, Berlin would reinvest in its navy to fulfill the North Atlantic Treaty Group’s purpose of spending 2% of gross home product on protection, and particularly would use it to improve tools comparable to fighter jets. Second, Germany would deal with power coverage as a national-security matter and wean itself off Russian pure gasoline. Third, Berlin not would pursue senseless diplomacy for diplomacy’s sake, particularly with the world’s autocrats.
