Germans view Russia as top threat, shows report

BERLIN

Germans see Russia as the number-one threat to their country nearly a year after Moscow launched the war in Ukraine, according to a report released Monday by the Munich Security Conference.

"German respondents are extremely concerned about the threat posed by Russia," said the 2023 Munich Security Report, released at a news conference in Berlin. The excerpt was on country-specific results of the Munich Security Index, which indicates risk perceptions among the citizens of a nation.

Data collected from Germans resulted in a risk index score of 78, which was higher than in any other country surveyed except Ukraine, according to the report.

"The increase in the perceived Russia risk since the invasion of Ukraine has been enormous. Last year, Russia was ranked 18th out of 32 potential risks. Now it is first.

"Associated perceived risks, such as the use of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, have also increased significantly, each climbing 20 points or more on Germany’s risk index," it added.

German concerns over a possible nuclear attack by Russia have grown ever since President Vladimir Putin vowed to use all available means to protect the country, which pundits took as a tacit threat to deploy nuclear arms.

The Russia-Ukraine war has seen Germany ramp up military expenditures from its previous low spending levels.

Berlin has provided financial and military assistance to Ukraine, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowing to help rebuild the Ukrainian army.

Scholz has also pledged to end his country's energy dependence on Moscow.