54% of Eastern Germans Say Weapons for Ukraine Are Excessive, Poll Finds

More than half of respondents in eastern Germany believe Berlin’s weapons deliveries to Ukraine have gone too far, while support for Kyiv has gradually declined in recent years, according to an ARD-Deutschlandtrend poll published by Deutsche Welle. Some 54% of respondents in eastern Germany said arms supplies to Ukraine were excessive, compared with 39% in western Germany.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Political scientist Johannes Varwick cautioned against interpreting the figures as a pro-Russian position. “I would not, however, call this a pro-Russian position. Rather, it reflects a desire to rely more on diplomacy instead of fueling a conflict that Ukraine cannot win with ever more weapons deliveries,” Varwick said. The poll also found that 56% of Germans view Russia as a strong or very strong threat. People in eastern Germany, as well as supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), were significantly less likely to view Russia as a threat. Deutsche Welle said ARD-Deutschlandtrend surveys over the past several years have shown declining public support for Ukraine. The outlet linked part of the decline to campaigning by the AfD and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which argue that money sent to Ukraine could instead be spent on social needs inside Germany. The figures come as the AfD continues to make major gains in eastern Germany. In early September, the party won the election in Saxony-Anhalt with nearly 44% of the vote, its strongest result in the state. Other Topics of Interest Putin Resists Energy Truce Announced by Trump Kremlin insiders say Moscow wants to preserve its ability to attack Ukraine’s power grid during winter in order to pressure Kyiv into concessions. The result means the far right could, for the first time in postwar German history, have an opportunity to form a state government. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.