On December 18, the White House announced that it would provide Ukraine with the latest round of military aid, which will also be the last U.S. aid to Ukraine.
It seems that after a few months of arguing with the Republican Party, Biden is also tired, and intends to completely give up on the issue of aid to Ukraine, no longer paying attention to Ukraine's military aid needs, and the United States' aid plan for Ukraine can be regarded as coming to an end.
But at this time, Germany suddenly appeared.
A few days ago, the leaders of the German ruling coalition finally presented a draft budget for 2024 after weeks of negotiations, and it is said that in the latest budget, Germany has set aside 8 billion euros for Ukraine, and will also provide 6 billion euros for Ukrainian refugees living in Germany. In this regard, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that when the United States and other allies reduced aid to Ukraine, Germany had to respond and strive to maintain the level of assistance to Ukraine.
In this comparison, Scholz is indeed much more righteous than Biden.
However, Germany's commitment to Ukraine seems to be much more than that.
On December 18, the German Minister of Defense met with his Lithuanian counterpart and signed an agreement under which Germany would send 5,000 troops to Lithuania. The 5,000 people will be stationed at two bases, Rukola and Rudninkai, which are only 100 kilometers from the Russian border and are very close to the Suwałki corridor, which is known as the "lifeblood" of Russia. Germany calls this project the "Lighthouse Project", and the advance team will be sent next year, and within three years the entire brigade will be in place.
Germany's military deployment plan is very targeted, and it is clear that it is going to Russia, which may also have the consideration of sharing the pressure on Ukraine. All in all, Germany's announcement of this military deployment at this time must be a joy for Zelensky.
Frankly speaking, these two measures taken by Germany have come at a very ill time.
Why?
Whether it is military aid to Ukraine or sending troops to Lithuania, these two measures have high requirements for Germany's financial level, but Germany is in a recession at this time, and according to the report released by the German Institute for Economic Research, Germany's GDP is likely to decline again next year, and the downturn of the German economy will continue to be extended.
Obviously, its own economic situation is not good, why does Germany want to be strong and slap a swollen face and become fat?
I think one of the most likely reasons is that Germany wants to live like the United States, in other words, to take the place of the United States after the United States withdraws its military aid to Ukraine. Although there are many voices singing about Ukraine and calling for the abandonment of Ukraine, in the West, supporting Ukraine is still a very politically correct thing. In the case that the United States was forced to withdraw from aiding Ukraine, if Germany can carry this flag, the prestige and influence it can gain are very great. Germany's plan to garrison troops in Lithuania is a testament to the German government's ambitions, which are not only a show of strength, but also a manifestation of the country's strategic transformation, intended to show that Germany is ready to engage militarily in global hot spots.
Of course, the risks of this strategic transformation are huge, whether it is military aid to Ukraine or the plan to garrison troops in Lithuania, the resources consumed are huge, and whether Germany, which is in a downturn in the economy, can fulfill its promises while ensuring the living standards of its citizens, I am afraid that there is still a question mark.