Germany’s new chancellor dithers in the face of Russia’s threats

ACAMERA STOODNATO next to the table, live-streaming the proceedings. But if Vice-Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach, the head of the German navy, did not know he was speaking on the record, it did not take long to find out. He told a think-tank in Delhi that Vladimir Putin wanted respect, and “probably also deserves” it. The West should recruit Russia as an ally against China, he added; something he, as a “radical Roman Catholic”, would welcome.One viral video clip and a very public brouhaha later, Mr Schönbach was gone. The pace of his departure showed that Germany’s government will not tolerate such comments when an unprovoked Russian attack on Ukraine is . Yet to many foreign observers the admiral was merely voicing soft-on-Russia sentiments that are widespread among German decision-makers. Ukraine’s foreign minister has said Germany’s refusal to send his country weapons is “encouraging Vladimir Putin”. The wife of a former Ukrainian president proposed a boycott of German cars. Even allies like Poland publicly bristled.