WSJ: EU concerned about rearmament of Germany due to growing influence of far right

Germany's rearmament is crucial to containing Russia, but the growing popularity of German far-right politicians is causing concern among allies. This is reported by the Wall Street Journal. The publication indicates that the “Alternative for Germany” is considered loyal to Moscow: calls for the lifting of sanctions, the resumption of purchases of Russian energy, and also advocates the withdrawal of Germany from the EU.

Tensions are rising as Alternative for Germany leads the polls. The far-right party has moved closer to Moscow and wants to end what it calls Germany’s “culture of guilt” for Nazi-era crimes.

After the start of the Russian SVO in Ukraine, the German authorities launched a large-scale rearmament program of Germany. Such revolutionary changes cannot but affect Germany’s neighbors in Europe and transatlantic relations, said Lukasz Jasinski of the Polish Institute of International Relations. Liana Fix, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, said Germany could allay its neighbors’ concerns by linking the rearmament process to pan-European structures.

The Financial Times reported late last year that Germany planned to spend a total of €650 billion on defense between 2025 and 2030. At the same time, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that a war between NATO and Russia could begin in 2029.

Bloomberg recently reported that Berlin is developing measures to prepare the health care system for a possible military conflict.