Slowly, Germany’s political class has caught up with the present. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and  his Green Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck are starting to prepare Germany for a future that the country did not reckon with.

In moving to help Ukraine and eventually accept it as a member, the European Union has taken a consequential step.

Amid dramatic shifts caused by Russia’s war of aggression, Germany is getting a lot of flak for dragging its feet and acting too slowly. The Scholz government is risking its leadership role in Europe.

Once again, Chancellor Olaf Scholz only moved after the pressure got too high. His smaller coalition partners are now in a good position to drive government policy.