Chancellor Scholz drew two key conclusions from Russia's attack on Ukraine in the FAZ earlier this week.

The first reads: "Imperialism is back in Europe." Since February 24, "nothing is as it was".

Germany is determined to resist Vladimir Putin's "neo-colonial" attack.

They will not accept a "dictated peace" and will supply arms as long as Ukraine "needs" them.

The second message: Germany will now rethink Europe.

The EU must become "more sovereign", a "geopolitical actor", especially in defense policy.

That is why Germany is ready to take on “responsibility for Europe and in the world”.

“Bring together and lead together”, Scholz used this play on words to illustrate the role he now sees for Berlin.

Konrad Schuller

Political correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper in Berlin.

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Michael Wiegel

Political correspondent based in Paris.

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The reactions range from enthusiasm to head shaking.

The FAS heard applause from the French government and protests from the Polish government.

Some European politicians from Germany praised the Chancellor's tone, others missed substance.

And when it came to Ukraine, critics expressed the suspicion that Scholz was passing off a determination to procrastinate as a determination to act.

The French government headed the well-wishers.

"Very good," was the verdict of Laurence Boone, who heads the European department under Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

The Chancellor's demands testified to a far-reaching change in consciousness.

"The ideas on European sovereignty and the need for our own defense capacities from President Emmanuel Macron's Sorbonne speech are taken up." Boone welcomed the fact that Berlin wanted to be more involved in the development of European defense capacities and interpreted Scholz's comments as meaning that Berlin was striving for a stronger European defense industry.

Who leads the strong Europe?

Boone also applauded the phrase "bring together."

This corresponds to the method that has proven its worth in response to Putin's attack since the informal EU summit in Versailles in March.

"Not as Germany and France, but together as Europeans, we face the responsibility." Boone indicated that she thinks the 27 approach is better than the so-called Normandy format.

Since 2014, the "Normandy Group" had been trying to advance negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.

However, in addition to Russia and Ukraine, not the entire EU was present there, only Germany and France.

Leading European politicians from the SPD are also enthusiastic.

Katarina Barley, Vice-President of the European Parliament, says that the "merging in a double sense" that Scholz now wants speaks to her "from the heart".

The Chancellor explained “incredibly elegantly and to the point what is at stake”.

That's exactly what matters: "Involve the others."

However, one also hears the opposite, for example from Poland.

The national-conservative government in Warsaw describes the passage about Germany's understanding of leadership as presumptuous. Secretary of State for Europe Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk says bluntly that anyone who has made "serious mistakes" like Germany with its gas dependence and misjudgment of Russia should "not consider themselves a leading nation “.

Many in Europe are disappointed with the federal government.

"So where is the space here for such theses?"