Scholars advocating for military aggression in conflict zones

Unleashing a New Era of Peace: German Experts Pave the Way

Leading German peace and conflict experts are convinced that the security policy for Western industrialized nations will be redefined in the future, steering clear of NATO, and should be molded through long-term disarmament measures. The German government needs to get ready for this transition, threw light Christopher Daase, researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (Prif, Leibniz Institute for Peace and Conflict Research) on Monday, at the release of the Peace Report 2025.

This annual analysis, conducted by the five largest research institutions in the country, delves into military conflicts and their resolution, and defusion techniques. Since around the commencement of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, these institutes' representatives have agreed that the European Union must prepare itself for self-defense, particularly to deter further Russian aggression. Daase highlighted on Monday the necessity of bridging "capability gaps." Thus, these researchers backed the "temporary taking on of debt at the national and European level" for joint EU missions and projects within the context of the "Permanent Structured Cooperation" (PESCO).

Security cannot be achieved exclusively through "armament and deterrence through defense capability," acknowledged Daase. For example, during the Cold War, disarmament could be balanced with "offers for arms control negotiations." Ultimately, "there will be no lasting security without peace." European policy should not quash preparations for a future peace order, cautioned Daase. "The mid-term goal must be peaceful coexistence with mutual recognition of security interests."

However, due to the shifting political landscape in the USA, the researchers presently view the coordinated armament of the EU and further arms deliveries to Ukraine as urgent. With a "more nationalistic-minded" U.S. government and in the face of "territorial claims and threats against allies," NATO "has no future." The USA has now become "another factor of uncertainty." Therefore, the "transatlantic partnership as we knew it is over." Germany and Europe are "directly threatened by the authoritarian state transformation in the USA." However, Europe must "become defense-capable without the USA, perhaps even against them."

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Before the Munich Conference, international appeals for disarmament are growing in number. The deployment of long-range U.S. intermediate-range missiles in Germany, planned under the Biden administration starting next year, does not face opposition in principle from researchers. However, they foresee that this arrangement could provoke a brand-new peace movement and "massive protests."

Currently, NATO remains indispensable in countering the Russian threat. Nevertheless, Europe must be capable of defending itself both independently and against the U.S.

The researchers are vehemently against any further arms deliveries to Israel. They urge these exports to cease immediately, as Israel has consistently violated international humanitarian law and exceeded reasonable self-defense bounds in Gaza and the West Bank, according to Daase.

For Germany's policy towards Israel, "international law should take precedence over state interests," the report states. This suggests that, for the time being, a state visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Germany is unfeasible. If Netanyahu were to attend Berlin, Germany would be obligated to arrest him and surrender him to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant against him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for suspected war crimes.

The report also advises that Germany actively supports the recognition of a Palestinian state in the medium term. A sustainable solution to the "Palestinian conflict" does not limit Israel's right to a Jewish state with secure borders, Daase stressed.

Claudia Baumgart-Ochse from Prif underscored that the key to dealing with Israel at present is not through terms like genocide, but rather through the EU and particularly the German government taking action. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) should follow up on his recent critical remarks with action. The German government should support the majority of the EU in calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, and should also vigorously back peace initiatives like the Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, Baumgart-Ochse said.

The first chapter of the report focuses on the "forgotten" war in Sudan. Researchers recommend that the German government pay more attention to conflicts like this, which have great escalation potential and severe humanitarian consequences, as they also threaten Germany's security. Germany should increase humanitarian aid and strengthen civil society forces in Sudan.

The researchers severely criticize the asylum policies of the black-red coalition. They advocate for more refugee quotas for admitting particularly vulnerable individuals from crisis regions, including in Germany. In particular, they reject the suspension of family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection promoted by the cabinet, as there is evidence that "family integration is the most effective form of extremism prevention."

The publishers of the peace report include, besides the Prize and the IFSH, the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) and the Institute for Development and Peace (INEF) of the University of Duisburg-Essen. It has been published since 1987.

The Groundwork for Peace: Key Takeaways and Insights

Peace Strategy for EU: Leading German peace and conflict experts propose a peace strategy that emphasizes EU independence, de-emphasizes NATO, and focuses on disarmament and broader peacebuilding strategies.
Declaration of Peace Order: European policy should not obstruct the preparation of a future peace order. The mid-term goal should be peaceful coexistence with mutual recognition of security interests.
End of Arms Deliveries: Researchers urge an immediate halt to arms deliveries to Israel, as it has violated international humanitarian law and exceeded self-defense bounds in Gaza and the West Bank.
Support for Palestinian State: The report recommends actively supporting the recognition of a Palestinian state in the medium term.
Action Against Israel: The EU and primarily the German government should take action against Israel, focusing on preserving international law instead of using terms like genocide.
Rejection of Family Reunification Suspension: The researchers oppose the suspension of family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection promoted by the cabinet, citing evidence that "family integration is the most effective form of extremism prevention."
Increased Humanitarian Aid: Germany should increase humanitarian aid and strengthen civil society forces in Sudan, as conflicts like this have high escalation potential and severe humanitarian consequences.

The German researchers, in light of the shifting political landscape, advocate for a future peace order that emphasizes the EU's independence from NATO and focuses on long-term disarmament measures, as they believe this is crucial for achieving lasting security and peaceful coexistence with mutual recognition of security interests.
In regard to international relations, the researchers call for an immediate halt to arms deliveries to Israel due to its consistent violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza and the West Bank, and they urge active support for the recognition of a Palestinian state in the medium term, while ensuring Israel's right to a Jewish state with secure borders.