Former German President: "We have to be peacefully armed!"
Exclusive: The former German President Joachim Gauck says that he is skeptical about whether there can be a "just" end to the war in Ukraine. He is also worried about Germany's "mental weakness".
Dear Readers,
On this Tuesday morning, I am sending to you a short interview with the former German President Joachim Gauck* on the current situation in Ukraine, his assessment of a possible end to the war, and what role Germany can and must play in the future.
I was able to interview Joachim Gauck twice for the television channel RTL/ntv. On both occasions, the former German President gave forward-looking assessments, but also emphasized that Germany had criminally ignored many warnings with regard to Russia in the past.
In September 2014, on the occasion of a commemoration day for the German invasion of Poland, Gauck said: “History teaches us that territorial concessions often only increase the appetite of aggressors.” When asked about the meaning of this sentence in 2023, Gauck said: “I think it was correct, and many people didn’t want to hear that.”
*Joachim Gauck served as President of Germany from 2012 to 2017. During the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, he became a member of the New Forum, a democratic opposition movement, and was elected as its spokesman. He also took part in major demonstrations against the Communist regime of the GDR. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Gauck was in charge of the archives of the Stasi and tasked with investigating Communist crimes. In 1992, his office became known as the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records. He served in this position until 2000.
“We are not talking about peace, but submission”
Philipp Sandmann: To what extent do you see a chance that the war in Ukraine could come to an end in 2025?
Joachim Gauck: I see the chance of an end to this war - but not necessarily a just end. Because it won’t be peace if Russia gets what it wants by force. Then we are not talking about peace, but submission. And if the United States under President Trump withdraws from responsibility, if it gives in to the aggressor and forces the victim to give in, then it is betraying the idea of freedom - and at the same time abandoning the principles on which it was founded.
“Anyone who confuses victims and perpetrators loses their moral compass”
Trump has not only called America’s role as a protecting power into question, he has also blamed Ukraine for its own invasion. Anyone who confuses victims and perpetrators loses their moral compass - and invites violence.
Genuine peace will only be possible if Putin recognizes that he cannot win this war - not militarily, not economically, not politically. This requires strength, not appeasement.
What is your greatest concern with regard to the Russian war of aggression - now that the U.S. wants to turn away?
Joachim Gauck: My greatest concern is that Europe and Germany will fall back into an old reflex: the principle of hope. That we will once again believe that an imperial will to power can be stopped with good words and restrained diplomacy alone.
The West was blind to Putin’s agenda for a long time. We heard his words, but we didn’t want to take them seriously. We saw the troop movements, but we stuck to business as usual. And now - as America continues to withdraw under Trump - we are painfully aware that we need to do much more to stand up for our security.
What worries me is not just the military weakness, but the mental weakness: that we are not sufficiently prepared - not just technically, but emotionally, morally and politically. We need a new seriousness. Because Russia’s war against Ukraine is more than just a regional conflict. It is an attack on our understanding of freedom, international law and human dignity.
Will Europe - will Germany - finally have to act? Or is there no political will to do so?
Joachim Gauck: We will have to act. We simply have no other choice. The Western alliance that has protected us is no longer reliable since Donald Trump. Anyone who fails to recognize this is confusing the present with the past. And anyone who fails to draw the consequences from this realization is acting negligently.
Germany and Europe have long hoped that the old order would continue to exist. Now we see: America’s promise of security has become fragile. If we want to preserve our way of life, our democratic institutions and our peace, then we have to take responsibility. Not someday - but now.
This means that rearmament can no longer be a taboo, but a necessity. The ability to defend ourselves is not a relic of the past, but an expression of a vigilant democracy. And solidarity with Ukraine is not an option, but an imperative of justice.
I know that many people long for peace. But real peace does not come from looking away, but from standing firm. We have to be peacefully armed. Only then are we credible. Only then are we able to protect what we love.
Have a good start to the day!
Philipp Sandmann