War in Ukraine had profound impact on Germany, int’l system: Official

ATHENS

The war in Ukraine had a profound impact on Germany and the international system, the security policy advisor to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday.

Speaking at the 8th Delphi Economic Forum in the town of Delphi in central Greece, Jens Plotner noted that Germany for decades followed a policy of not transferring arms to war zones but said the Ukraine war caused it to change.

“We are now the second biggest provider of military aid to Ukraine after the US,” he said.

Plotner added that the total cost of German military and economic aid to Ukraine and funds allocated for Ukrainian refugees in the country is around €15 billion ($16.5 billion).

Asked whether Germany was too soft on Russia before the war and too dependent on Russian gas, he said Russia acted as a reliable gas supplier which aspired to maintain good relations with Germany and the West.

“Failure does not mean it was not right to try,” he said.

He also expressed his satisfaction with the calmed atmosphere between Türkiye and Greece.

This is a chance to push forward with increasing stability in the region, he added.