Berlin CNN —
The biggest moment in the Ukraine war took place hundreds of miles from the battlefield this week. After days of diplomatic pressure from its increasingly disgruntled NATO allies, Germany announced on Wednesday it would send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, a potentially pivotal move in the conflict that could tip the balance in Kiev’s favor.
The United States and a number of European nations will also provide the Ukrainian armed forces with sophisticated main battle tanks. A spring offensive is expected from Moscow, but Ukraine’s struggle to reclaim its territory from Russia will soon be boosted by the arrival of powerful and modern western weapons.
On Germany’s streets, however, reactions were mixed. From concerns about how the war might now escalate to believing the government is doing the right thing, people seemed divided on whether the decision was the right one. And the country is fragmented along party lines, generations and geography.
Those CNN spoke to preferred to be identified by their first names only. Manuel, a 29-year-old German national living in Berlin, told CNN he feared the decision could fuel Moscow’s anger and exacerbate the nearly year-long conflict. “I don’t think Russia will attack a NATO member, at least for now. But I would be concerned about harsher retaliation aimed at Ukraine and its people,” he said.
For the trained carpenter Eric, 27, from Paderborn in western Germany, it is important to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. However, he is also concerned that providing Kyiv with Leopard 2 tanks could create more problems than it solves.
“The deployment and use of the Leopard 2 is a great asset for the Ukrainian warfare, but we have to face the fact that this comes with obstacles and also political consequences.
“In addition to logistics, the Ukrainian armed forces need training in the handling and maintenance of the Leopard 2,” added Eric. “That will most likely not happen in Ukraine, which means that NATO and Germany will again intervene more directly in the war.”
He sees his government’s move as “major interference” in the war between Russia and Ukraine. “The use of tanks and the training of Ukrainian troops could be considered by Germany and NATO at any time and converted into a declaration of war,” he believes.
Barbara, a 59-year-old librarian from West Germany, understands Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s reluctance to bow to international pressure, but thinks Germany should stay out of the conflict if possible. “I don’t agree to sending all this war equipment to Ukraine,” she told CNN. “We offer a lot of civilian aid, so when it comes to war, it’s good to be cautious.”
For others, the need to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression prevails. Another German, who identified herself as Sybille, said: “It’s a big problem for me that so many people are losing their lives and that’s why I would try to give my understanding of the delivery of tanks, especially as the lawyers say that this is not against international law and I think that Russia does not respect any laws in our world.”
After months of hesitation, the German government announced on Wednesday that it would meet Kiev’s demands for the high-tech Leopard 2 tanks after weeks of pressure from some of its NATO allies on Berlin.
The move came with an announcement by US President Joe Biden that he would make 31 M1 Abrams tanks available, reversing government opposition to providing the sophisticated but high-maintenance vehicles to Kyiv.
Hours after Germany and the US announced their plans, Russia fired dozens of missiles at Ukraine, signaling Moscow’s anger at the developments and indicating that it will aim to test Ukrainian resolve in the race for the new tanks damaging the battlefield.
An opinion poll conducted earlier this month also illustrates the different attitudes of Germans. The Deutschlandtrend survey conducted by the public broadcaster ARD on January 19 asked the participants the question “Should Germany deliver heavy battle tanks like the “Leopard” to the Ukraine or not?”.
The results showed that 46% of the Germans were in favor of sending such tanks, while 43% were against.
There were clear differences in opinion between East and West Germans and younger and older generations.
The poll showed that in western states there was more support for sending heavy battle tanks, with one in two people supporting the delivery, while in the former communist states 59% opposed the idea.
For Eric, this geographical split makes sense. “East Germany has a high proportion of right-wing and AfD [far-right party Alternative for Germany] Voters and a different history with Russia because of the post-WWII occupation, hence a greater distrust of political decisions,” he said.
Age also plays a role, because according to the survey, older generations were more likely to agree to the tanks being sent. About 52 percent of 18 to 24 year olds were of the opinion that Germany should not supply the tanks.
The most obvious divide was political. A high proportion of supporters of the left-wing Greens in Germany – 61% – approved of the delivery. The result of Scholz’s SPD was less clear with only 49 percent yes votes.
The hardest rejection for the delivery of heavy battle tanks came from AfD supporters. A whopping 84% of them opposed the supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
After Wednesday’s decision, the condemnation of AfD vice-chairman Tino Chrupalla was clear when he described the move as “irresponsible and dangerous”.
“Germany threatens to be dragged directly into the war,” he wrote on Twitter.
Librarian Barbara admits her country has a “difficult history,” while Berliner Manuel believes that since the end of World War II, Germany has adopted a “strong anti-militarist culture” that is now deeply ingrained in the German psyche.
“Any direct or indirect involvement in a war does not go unchallenged,” he explained.
While modern Germany has been reluctant to intervene in international conflicts against the backdrop of post-World War II demilitarization, the country has adopted an evolving approach to security and military policy after Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
The new approach comes amid accusations from Berlin’s western allies that it has been comparatively slower to support Kyiv – partly due to its reliance on Russian gas.
Political figures in Germany also got involved in the debate this week.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, member of parliament and former deputy leader of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP), described Germany’s decision to deliver the Leopard 2 as “arduous but inevitable”.
She added that the decision will be “a relief to a battered and brave Ukraine.”
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stressed the need to supply heavy main battle tanks, including the Leopard 2, as they believe they will provide Ukraine with a powerful fighting vehicle and strengthen its armed forces ahead of a possible Russian spring offensive.
German MP Ralf Stegner, a member of Scholz’s SPD, was critical of a hashtag “Free the Leopards” that appeared on social media, which tongue-in-cheek called for the use of the tanks on the battlefield.
“People talk about ‘Free the Leopards’ like zoo animals. It’s far too serious an issue to treat as a social media event,” he told German free-to-air TV station Phoenix.
Stegner questioned whether the tanks could drastically change the tide of the war in Ukraine’s favor or just lead to prolonged conflict and further, devastating civilian damage.
“We must consider the end; we have to ask what comes next? We had the decision with the Marder (armored infantry fighting vehicle). As soon as that was done, the main battle tank debate began immediately. How do we go from here? Does it really shorten the war or just lead to more war casualties?”
Stegner concludes: “In the end, the history books will show whether [the decision] was right or not.”
ARD Deutschlandtrend interviewed 1211 eligible voters. The survey was conducted on January 17-18, 2023. The data were weighted to reflect sociodemographic factors and voting trends. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus two points.