In an interview with HNA, Professor of International Relations discusses the Russian rationale and the Western response.
Marina Henke, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for International Security at the Hertie School gave an interview to the German newspaper Hessische Niedersächsische Allgemeine (HNA) about the Russian troop buildup along the border of Ukraine. In the interview, she references her research into the causes of war, in particular, the phenomenon of actors pursuing a diversionary war strategy. Henke discusses the rationale of Russian President Vladimir Putin against the backdrop of his rise to power and experience of 2011 domestic opposition.
With regard to the Western policy, Henke stresses the necessity of a three-fold response: deterrence, dialogue and preparation. Given Putin’s aim to divide the West, unity among the Western partners, she argues, is key to successful negotiations. To dispel doubts about German reliability, Germany needs to be willing to make the pipeline Nordstream 2 part of the negotiations. A diplomatic solution to the crisis might involve new arms control talks, agreements about increased transparency regarding military exercises, economic aid, a potential return of Russia to the G7 etc. But Henke stresses the need to be prepared for a Russian escalation.
In a changing world, Henke said: “Germany must learn to think strategically”. Currently, Germany is torn between different world views and role conceptions. Henke argues: “This lack of an overarching strategy is increasingly becoming a problem.”
The full interview is available here (in German).
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More about the expert
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Marina Henke, Professor of International Relations | Director, Centre for International Security