Despite United States President Donald Trump’s pledge to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, the conflict rages on. Part of the reason is that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s thirst for land, resources and people isn’t satisfied. But there is another part to the story: Germany also has an interest in the continuation of the war.

The largest economy in Europe had ample opportunity early in the conflict to work with its European partners and the U.S. to stop the Russian onslaught. Instead of supporting economy-destroying sanctions and weapon deliveries to Ukraine, it blocked both. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in the first months of the war:

The United States, United Kingdom and much of Eastern Europe have rushed weapons to Ukraine. But Germany, despite some sympathetic rhetoric toward the Ukrainians, has stood in the way. When the West tries to impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and those close to him, Germany weakens those sanctions.

The whole world can now clearly see that Germany is siding with Putin. Sadly, few understand why.

Many feared Germany might negotiate another deal with Russia where it could keep the land it gained and restock its military—similar to the deal Donald Trump is now trying to negotiate. Germany, however, isn’t interested in this deal right now. It has become one of Ukraine’s most meaningful financial and military partners. Although it appears that this is meant to keep Russia out of Ukraine, a different strategy is at play.

In fact, Germany has at least three reasons to prolong the war.

Testing Weaponry

“We are strengthening Ukraine in many different ways. One way is to support them in building up their own capabilities,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the press on April 11. “The support we provide to Ukraine is not a one-way road; it is a win-win situation. The insights we gain will benefit both us and Ukraine. We will learn from it too.”

Citing a European official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Washington Post wrote on April 19: “The strategy also allows nato countries to use Ukraine as a testing ground for developing weapons, such as drones, in which they don’t have as much experience, the official said.”

Tagesspiegel commented on April 11: “The war in Ukraine is also an experimental field for testing weapons systems under real operating conditions.”

Recent reports have suggested improvements to weapons systems that Germany has sent to Ukraine. This testing ground has also caused German military start-ups to boom.

One of them is the artificial intelligence company Helsing, which develops strike drones. In 2023, it became Europe’s first privately owned start-up in the military, armaments and defense sector to surpass $1 billion in value.

After Helsing announced the delivery of thousands of strike drones for Ukraine at the end of 2024, Pistorius told Bild, “We are in close dialogue with our Ukrainian partners and will be able to draw conclusions for the Bundeswehr on how this type of drone can be used effectively. This will also help us to develop our own drone capabilities.”

To use a foreign battlefield to test weapons is nothing new. Germany did this in the lead-up to World War ii.

Referencing the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), William Manchester wrote in The Last Lion:

Mussolini sent Franco over 60,000 troops. The Führer directed Göring to take the first steps in what became a half-billion-mark program, shipping tanks, warplanes and artillery, all accompanied by German technicians. One of the Führer’s motives was to use the Iberian Peninsula as a proving ground for the Reich’s new weapons. Alfried Krupp first tested six batteries of his 88s as they later became known and feared by World War ii Allied infantrymen, in the siege of Madrid, and was pleasantly surprised; designed as antiaircraft guns, they were also effective against tanks and infantrymen. Krupp sent prototypes of his new U-boats to Spain, including the mammoth Deutschland. The Italians did likewise.

Germany is thus heavily invested in this war. But this is not the only reason that it may want it to continue.

Exploiting Fear

In March, Germany passed a historic constitutional change that will allow Germany to spend 3.5 percent or more of its gross domestic product on its military, equating to more than $150 billion.

Most Germans are fine with this, given that there is a large-scale war being waged on the Continent. They are also OK with their car manufacturers producing tanks instead of cars again, the possible reintroduction of military conscription and other widespread war preparations. However, some fear that this approval would vanish when it comes to a frozen war in Ukraine.

Former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told Focus Online in a podcast posted on April 23:

I’m worried that we won’t do our homework. Or another worry is that if we suddenly come to a foul compromise, which is then called a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, which is not entirely out of the question. Everyone will say, Everything is fine again, let’s cut the money down. A bit more as far as pensions and care and health are concerned, but please don’t spend too much on tanks and the like.

I can understand that to an extent, and tanks in particular are no longer quite the solution. But we really need to invest in digital solutions. But that also feeds into my worry. We are already under constant attack. So it is not the case that the war ends at the Ukrainian border but that Europe is a target and is the target of Russia especially in cyberspace, and not just Russian attacks.

So another reason Germany opposes a foul peace deal is because it would hamper its own ability to invest militarily.

A Deal With Russia

When Russian troops assembled at Ukraine’s border, Germany proposed sending helmets and sleeping bags.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at the time: “The behavior of the German government leaves me speechless. The Defense Ministry apparently hasn’t realized that we are confronted with perfectly equipped Russian forces that can start another invasion of Ukraine at any time.”

Once that invasion came, Germany blocked Britain from sending weapons to Ukraine using its air space. It blocked sending tanks when they were most needed. To this day it refuses to send Ukraine its Taurus missiles. Germany has essentially ensured that Ukraine has enough to survive but never enough to seriously hurt Russia or to win the war.

As Mr. Flurry explained in “Germany’s Secret Deal With Russia—Exposed,” this points to the existence of a secret German-Russian deal—a modern-day Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Both countries are testing their weapons in Ukraine; both countries seek to build an empire. The difference is that Russia is currently doing it in a much bloodier and more overt way.

But as Mr. Flurry explained:

These two nations are working to empower themselves and each other at the expense of Europe and the U.S.-led world order. Both want to tear down that order and build themselves into great empires! Those empires will inevitably clash, but for now it is in both Germany’s and Russia’s interest to weaken everyone else and strengthen themselves and each other. With this in mind, Germany’s duplicitous behavior is easy to understand.

If you understand this, it really is simple to understand what Germany is doing. However, while many see Russia as the evil perpetrator, these same people don’t believe that Germany would be involved. This aspect is made plain in Bible prophecy, as Mr. Flurry explained in “Germany’s Secret Deal With Russia—Exposed.”