Germany's new government is facing pressure to be tough on Russia, after a German navy chief's pro-Moscow remarks angered Kiev and the Ukraine crisis escalated with Berlin's fence-sitters.
After a week of frantic diplomacy, which included a visit to Berlin by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government found itself scrambling over the weekend to reassure Kiev of its support amid fears of a Russian invasion. Found.
The controversy began with German Navy Chief Kay-Achim Schönbach's view that it was "nonsense" to think that Russia was about to march on Ukraine and that President Vladimir Putin deserved respect.
Schonbach resigned late Saturday, but the damage was done. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba summoned the German ambassador and accused Germany of "encouraging" Putin to attack Ukraine.
Scholz again warned of the "high cost" of attacking Russia in an interview with the Suedetush newspaper on Sunday. But with trademark caution, he also called for "wisdom" in considering the sanctions and "their consequences for us."
The Ukraine crisis marks the first major test for Social Democrat Scholz, who took over from veteran leader Angela Merkel last month. His coalition government of the centre-left SPD, the Greens and the pro-business FDP has vowed "dialogue and brutality" with Russia.
But it has struggled to bridge internal divisions and devise a unified response on how to deal with an upbeat Moscow. The Handelsblatt financial daily, noting that German politicians' tendency to "understand Russia" remains alive and well, asking: "Where is the line between willingness to engage in dialogue and strategic naivete?"
Scholz's ability to dodge tough questions was on display again on Sunday when he was asked about Russian demands that NATO not expand east. Such expansion is "not quite on the agenda right now", replied Scholz.
Berlin's refusal to send arms to Ukraine is a major cause of conflict between Germany and the Western Allies. The United States, Britain and the Baltic states have already agreed to send weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.