The situation in the morning: the victory of German "pacifism of submission"

Does Germany refuse to grow up?

Why is it that so many people in Germany find it particularly difficult to understand what is at stake for Europe in Ukraine?

In the first few weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, most German apologists for Russia fell silent for

a moment , with some admitting in general terms that they were mistaken or had been mistaken by Vladimir Putin.

It remained unclear how one could overlook what had been clear since 2014: that Putin was waging a war against Ukraine and thus against the European peace order.

But those who want to persuade the Germans that there is no other choice but to cower to Russia's imperialism in Europe have long since returned.

They sit on talk shows, the Wagenknechts and Welzers, and those who simply refuse to take on a leadership role in Europe.

The federal government is also happy to leave it to the USA again.

One could also say:

After the »Zeitenwende« speech, the brakemen took over the discourse sovereignty again.

It is still about everything:

The point is whether Russia will be strengthened in its warlike expansionism.

It's about the question of whether states like Poland, Romania or the Czech Republic can still feel safe - and whether the life in peace and freedom of the last 30 years in Europe also has a future.

Unfortunately, this has not yet reached many people.

Putin also sees this war against Ukraine as part of a war against the West - and in the run-up to the war he made massive demands on NATO and the USA: Putin wants Eastern Europe back as a Russian sphere of influence, and NATO should withdraw from it.

He wants a reorganization of the balance of power in Europe, using military means.

Therefore, these days it is not just about Ukraine, but about

.

• CDU politician Röttgen on Russia, Europe and China: "That was a serious failure" 

When guns make peace

That is why it is so important that Germany also supports Ukraine militarily these days with everything that Ukraine needs: Now 15 German Gepard tanks will apparently finally be delivered by July, even a little ammunition has been found, but not enough.

The course of the war so far has shown that Putin's army is by no means superior to the Ukrainian army, and that military aid is the only effective means at the moment - because only a sovereign and independent Ukraine can also stop Putin's urge to expand westwards.

Anyone who paints fear of the Third World War on the wall in everything the West does is playing Putin's game:

. "

This applies to the fear of arms deliveries, but also to the warnings about Sweden and Finland joining NATO.

Putin has himself to blame for this: his war of aggression has signaled to all of Russia's neighbors that being alone on the Russian border is too dangerous.

In addition to the false claim that Ukraine cannot win the war, one hears again and again these days that arms deliveries will not bring about peace.

But that's nonsense.

- namely, if Ukraine is able to defend itself and repel the Russian attack, peace negotiations have a chance again.

Putin has so far refused to engage in serious talks.

I recommend this interview by my colleague Konstantin von Hammerstein with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas.

Pushing for a military victory over Russia rather than a peace treaty, she says, "There's no point in talking to Putin."

• "It makes no sense to talk to Putin": Interview with Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas 

You can find more news and background information on the war in Ukraine here:

• That happened at night:

  there were injuries in the attack on Losowa.

  Moscow has put the ex-world chess champion Kasparov on the list of "foreign agents."

  And: Great Britain apparently wants to supply Moldova with modern weapons.

  The overview.

• Oligarchs are systemically important for Great Britain:

  The Johnson government imposed sanctions after the Russian attack on Ukraine.

  This also applies to the oligarchs in London.

  However, this does not change the system of the rich Russians on the island.

• Russia reports "complete liberation" of the Azov steelworks:

  According to Russian information, all fighters in the port city of Mariupol have surrendered.

  Ukrainian President Zelenskyi blames the West for pulling out of the Azov steelworks.

• "Putin assumes that he will lose his life if he is defeated":

  The Kremlin boss knows no inhibitions and could also use nuclear weapons, says Harvard political scientist Graham Allison.

  How to stop killing in Ukraine?

  By making an offer to Putin. 

After Corona, now the monkeypox

Should you laugh or worry

when you get breaking news on your cell phone in times of the dwindling corona pandemic that says: "Monkeypox: First case confirmed in Germany"?

isn't a bad joke, it's real and apparently it's spreading more easily from person to person than in the past

.

Since the beginning of May, dozens of suspected cases and confirmed infections with monkeypox have been reported in several European and North American countries, now also in Germany - the numbers are low, however, transmission apparently only occurs with "close contact", for example during sexual intercourse.

Symptoms of monkeypox in humans include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a rash that often starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body.

Most people recover from the disease within a few weeks, and death is rare.

So far, monkeypox has not been a cause for panic, but it reminds us that there are other dangerous diseases in addition to Corona, some of which have been forgotten in recent years.

This includes

, most recently the disease killed 1.5 million people a year - mostly in the poorest regions of the world.

War and the pandemic are bringing misery closer to Europe, writes my colleague Hilmar Schmundt.

• Fight against tuberculosis: "The corona pandemic set us back by seven years"

The 9-euro ticket as a consolation for the wounded Bahn

This summer, Germany will receive a monthly

for all local and regional transport, which the Bundestag and Bundesrat have decided - and as pleasant as this government action sounds at first, which will transport 30 million additional passengers on German regional trains, you have to but state:

.

This week alone there was an endless series of fires, disruptions, failed train crews, broken signals and doors, hour-long odysseys in long-distance traffic, on the central routes - these are not isolated cases, there is a system.

And anyone who is so lucky that they usually arrive on time and without breakdowns with the ICE can rest assured: this is a one-off.

The traffic light wanted to be a reform coalition

, the war intervened, but if there is a project that would fight German bureaucracy, ailing infrastructure and climate change in equal measure, then it would be: turning the train into a reliable means of transport.

In any case, the few billions that are now flowing into the 9-euro ticket would be better off – together with many other billions – in a structural fund for the German ICE network and regional transport, for example in NRW.

But of course money alone is not enough and neither are small reforms, someone would have to tackle the problem big - why not a reform coalition?

On some days, when I'm sitting in the only train that hasn't failed, which is completely overcrowded and hours late, I ask myself whether the only solution for Deutsche Bahn is: tear it down and found a new one.

Expensive change: Why bus and train are often not an alternative for families 

Loser of the day...

…are

and

.

Enlarge image

Photo:

Jens Schicke / IMAGO

We don't know

what made the

, one must assume that they were not decisive for his decision.

Was it because the Bundestag revoked his state-subsidized office, against which he now wants to file a constitutional complaint?

In his overly talkative interview with the New York Times, Schröder announced that he would only step down from the Rosneft chairmanship if Russia stopped supplying gas to Germany – could his decision even be a harbinger?

Maybe someone finally got through to him who could explain to him how self-destructive his behavior was.

However, despite his Rosneft decision, you have to leave the church in the village, to quote Schröder himself, because he will keep his posts at Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2.

Enlarge image

Photo: IMAGO/Political Moments

And what remains: His legacy, the ruins of

, which has now turned into a kind of

: A catastrophe that radiates everyone who got involved with it - especially

.

As is well known, she had a so-called environmental foundation set up to circumvent the US sanctions against the construction of Nord Stream 2 and also got political advice from the operating company, a subsidiary of the Russian gas company Gazprom.

But it's even worse: As my SPIEGEL colleagues have now revealed, Schwesig's environmental foundation was actually the secret developer of the pipeline.

In total, it is said to have concluded and processed around 80 contracts for the completion of the pipeline.

According to an insider, the foundation is said to have bought diesel generators, pumps and compressors for the gas landing station in Lubmin, for example.

Schwesig as the »godmother« of a concealment system that in the end even wanted to finish the pipeline itself - it is a disastrous picture that emerges here and the only question

The latest news from the night

• US Archbishop excludes Nancy Pelosi from communion:

  As long as she supports abortion, the bishop sees “no other choice”: Nancy Pelosi is not allowed to receive communion.

  There was a similar debate last year.

• Tesla shares fall after allegations of harassment against Musk:

  Elon Musk rejects allegations of sexual harassment – ​​but Tesla investors are already alarmed.

  Share prices on Wall Street fell 8 percent.

• Lottery record win of 110 million:

  The Eurojackpot was won on the 14th attempt - and brought in 110 million euros.

  In March, the participating countries changed the rules and thus made the highest win in German lottery history possible in the first place.

The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today

• How Olena Lugowa overslept the war:

  She is 93, survived the Nazis and the Soviet Union.

  Olena Lugowa would not endure another occupation, her family feared - so she did not tell her about the Russian invasion.

  How do you hide a war? 

• Is the FDP now greener than the Greens?

  Steffi Lemke once praised cheap fuel made from corn, rapeseed and grain - but now the Green Environment Minister wants to abolish biofuel.

  Ironically, the FDP protested.

• The mayor, who absolutely does not resign:

  A well-paid job for the girlfriend plus a company car, even on parental leave: the Frankfurt public prosecutor's office has accused Peter Feldmann.

  But the SPD man hardly cares.

• The abductees of the »Clotilda«:

  The last ship that brought slaves from Africa to the USA has been discovered off the coast of Alabama.

  Now their descendants are speaking out – and appealing to the very wealthy heirs of the owner.

• Hand grenades at the Windsors

  : The era of Elizabeth II is coming to an end.

  In her new book »Palace Papers«, journalist Tina Brown examines the situation in the elderly Queen's family.

  The Windsor scandal machine delivers again.

I wish you a nice weekend!

Yours, Mathieu von Rohr