Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, German policy has had one main principle: to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia at all costs. But after the summit of European leaders in Paris, the "fiery" and war-like statements of French President Emmanuel Macron irritated the official Berlin.
The conflict between Scholz and Macron over military aid to Ukraine is turning into open hostility. German officials complain that Macron is willing to talk tough on Ukraine but is not sending enough aid, unlike Berlin.
Germany's Kiel Institute, which calculates national contributions to the war in Ukraine, ranks France as a clear laggard, with 640 million euros in military aid, compared to Germany's 17.7 billion euros. That's why Scholz uses every opportunity he gets to pressure EU countries, and especially France, to send more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
