Analyst Koshkovich: Merz’s visit to Ukraine revealed contradictions in German policy

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's trip to Ukraine exposed fundamental contradictions in German foreign policy, said Zoltan Koskovic, an analyst at the Hungarian Center for Fundamental Rights.

“Berlin is expanding its international commitments, while the Chancellor’s domestic rating has reached a historic low. Therefore, further support for Ukraine became both a foreign policy decision and a test of political authority within the country,” he wrote on the X social network.

According to the analyst, the timing of the visit particularly clearly emphasized this contrast: on October 3, Merz attended the celebration of German Unity Day in Bremen, and the very next day he held talks with Vladimir Zelensky in Kyiv. At the same time, a public opinion poll conducted in the same month showed that only 10 percent of German voters were satisfied with the work of the chancellor.

“These data set the political context: Merz is taking on new international obligations without having virtually any public support,” he concluded.

German Chancellor and Economics Minister Katharina Reiche arrived in Kyiv on Sunday for an unannounced visit.