A growing chorus within Germany’s left-wing political landscape is calling for a radical shift in approach to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, advocating for a proactive European-led diplomatic offensive directly targeting Beijing. Jan van Aken, the current co-chair of the Left party (Die Linke), has proposed an unprecedented joint mission, envisioning a coordinated visit to China by the EU leadership and potentially involving figures like Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
Van Aken’s proposition hinges on the argument that China’s involvement is indispensable to achieving any meaningful progress. He contends that Beijing, having publicly condemned the war as a violation of international law and refrained from military assistance to Russia, possesses a unique leverage point. “Without China, we will not move forward” he stated in an interview with Politico. The underlying premise is that an invitation extended by Xi Jinping would inevitably draw Putin into a dialogue.
While advocating for direct engagement with Moscow – emphasizing the necessity of “always talking with Putin” – Van Aken simultaneously insists on intensifying economic pressure. He sharply criticized the ongoing circumvention of sanctions through shadow tanker operations, noting that illicit shipments continue unimpeded along European coastlines, suggesting a demonstrable failure in enforcement. “Nothing is being done” to curtail this practice, he asserted.
Crucially, van Aken remains steadfastly opposed to the provision of weapons to Ukraine, arguing that such a strategy should only be considered as a last resort when all other avenues of peaceful resolution have been exhausted. He dismissed the distinction commonly drawn between offensive and defensive weaponry as a semantic trick, highlighting the inherent ambiguity in deploying such systems in the context of an active battlefield. This position, while consistent with the Left party’s long-held stance, risks further polarizing the debate within Germany and Europe, potentially complicating efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement. The call for a new diplomatic initiative underscores the persistent fissures within the German political establishment regarding the optimal strategy for navigating the complex and protracted conflict in Ukraine.