Steinmeier’s brutal speech has a blind spot At least 31 killed by tropical storm in the Philippines

At the end, Frank-Walter Steinmeier spreads his arms like a pastor speaking to his congregation. But unlike in church, his last words are mixed with applause. Steinmeier laughs, Steinmeier raises his eyebrows mischievously, Steinmeier seems satisfied.

Satisfied with himself and his speech, not with the world situation, the Federal President is not at all satisfied with that. That much should have become very clear to the listeners in Bellevue Palace and in the living rooms after almost 45 minutes. No wonder, because this State of the Union address, as it was previously confidently called, is only delivered on Friday mornings because the mess this nation and the world is in is so great.

Steinmeier wanted to face the many crises with his speech, the hardship, the doubts, even anger. It was titled “Strengthen All That Connects Us”, which is actually a bit like a sermon. But the title is deceptive, even if the pursuit of coherence is, of course, honestly meant and sometimes presented in a pastoral way.

But the German Federal President is actually giving a brazen speech. Mercilessly honest. With brutal impositions on each individual. And precisely because that is the case, Steinmeier’s blind spot is noticed again.

Suddenly there is war

It has been anything but easy months, not even for the Federal President, although he certainly does not need sympathy in Bellevue Palace. Shortly after Steinmeier’s second term in office began in the spring, Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine. Suddenly there was war in Europe, but the Federal President had completely different plans.

He wanted to go into the country, talk to people, understand their problems. He went to Quedlinburg, to Rottweil, to Neustrelitz, and to Altenburg, which is certainly commendable and important.

And yet, from city break to city break, one might wonder a little more at a loss why, in times of crisis, Steinmeier doesn’t quite manage to say something to the Germans that sticks with them – and not just the citizens of Quedlinburg.

There are probably reasons for that. And Steinmeier’s blind spot, which will be discussed later, probably plays an important role in this. But first of all, the good news is that the Federal President has overcome the alleged speechlessness with this speech.

an ordeal

Just what could be remembered of this Friday? Perhaps that: the Federal President appeals to his people. He is honest with him, describes his enormous problems unadorned – and demands something from him. A lot.

Steinmeier reiterates his interpretation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as an “era”. It will not get much bigger and the consequences are correspondingly large. “The new era is challenging us like it hasn’t been in a long time,” he says.

Steinmeier speaks of the “deepest crisis” of reunified Germany, of a “dividing point” where it is now and of an “trial from which no one can save us and from which there is no easy way out”.

The Federal President even admits his own impotence. “Politics cannot work miracles,” he says. No one can take away all worries. “On the contrary, I believe many of the concerns are justified.”

It doesn’t get any cuter

This is remarkably blunt and rather bleak. And it doesn’t get any easier. Of course, at some point at the end, just before spreading his arms, the Federal President naturally says that Germany has the strength to overcome these crises.

But, and this is his main point: only if you spit a little on your hands again. “These new times are challenging everyone,” he says, referring to the current “age against the wind”, which followed the past “age with the wind at your back”.

And this person has a lot to do now, if Steinmeier gets his way. He believes that politics can no longer be left to others. And: “We will have to accept restrictions in the coming years.” Greetings from the energy crisis.

Anyone hoping for improvement after that must disappoint Steinmeier: “This winter is not enough,” he says. After all, the climate crisis still exists. Unfortunately, democracy as a whole is also under pressure. To protect them, “resilient citizens” are needed.

One may find all of this appropriate to the situation or a little too unencouraging, too unexciting. But it’s definitely one thing: awkward – and therefore quite brave.

The blind spot

Which leads to Steinmeier’s blind spot. He himself has been criticized since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression. Not for his performance as Federal President, but for his work previously as foreign minister under Angela Merkel and before that as head of the chancellery under Gerhard Schröder.

Steinmeier stood like no other for a Russia policy that is now considered a complete failure. He once called Russia an “indispensable partner” and defended the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as “almost the last bridge between Russia and Europe”.

These statements flew to his ears at the start of the Russian attack. When the Federal President wanted to travel to Ukraine, he was not invited. The then Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, accused Steinmeier of “establishing a cobweb of contacts with Russia”. For Steinmeier, the relationship with Russia remains “fundamental, even sacred”.

That was, of course, very shrill. But it hit a sore point with Steinmeier. At some point, the pressure became so great that he had to give in. He described sticking to Nord Stream 2 as a “wrong”, and he was “wrong” about Putin – with the caveat: “like others”.

Even then, some thought that was half-hearted, but today’s State of the Union address won’t convince critics otherwise. The peaceful Soviet troops at the time of reunification, Steinmeier said at one point, gave hope for a peaceful future. “I had that hope too and it was the driving force behind my work for years.”

He then compares this earlier hope to ‘today’s Russia’. There is now “no room for old dreams,” he says. Honest hope as motivation, and these days we just know better: It doesn’t sound like that when you want to admit a mistake.

Old camels? All forgiven and forgotten? You can see it like this. But demanding restrictions from people that would be less severe if the dependence on Russia had not been so great is more credible if they also demand something of themselves: self-criticism.