Amid an industrial downturn and challenges in the automotive sector, Germany is indeed accelerating the reorientation of some of its production capacity toward defense products; however, this does not mean a complete abandonment of the automotive industry, but rather a significant strengthening of the defense-industrial sector. The Wall Street Journal reports on this, and other international media outlets have previously confirmed specific examples of this shift.
According to the WSJ, Berlin is attempting to utilize idle capacity, engineering expertise, and the workforce of traditional industries—primarily the automotive sector—to expand the production of defense-related goods. The newspaper links this shift to the industrial downturn, rising defense spending in Germany and Europe, as well as heightened security threats amid Russia’s war against Ukraine and Europe’s declining confidence in long-term U.S. guarantees.
Part of this trend has already been confirmed at the level of specific companies. For instance, Reuters previously reported that Rheinmetall intended to repurpose two of its automotive plants in Germany for primarily defense production, retaining only a portion of civilian output. Additionally, Volkswagen is exploring the possibility of using its site in Osnabrück to manufacture military equipment, though it emphasized that no final production decisions have been made yet.
Another example is the negotiations regarding the potential production of components for the Iron Dome air defense system at one of Volkswagen’s German plants. However, Reuters separately noted that the automaker itself ruled out the production of weapons per se and spoke only of exploring options for utilizing the facility and producing components.
At the same time, pressure on the German auto industry is mounting. Reuters reported in February that nearly half of the auto suppliers surveyed were cutting jobs in Germany, and the industry association VDA described the situation as a crisis. Against this backdrop, the defense sector is becoming one of the few growing markets with a long-term order horizon for some manufacturers.
An additional factor has been the sharp intensification of Germany’s own defense policy. Following changes to budget rules and an expansion of borrowing capacity, Berlin has gained the leeway to significantly increase military spending in the coming years. Reuters previously reported that Germany’s total defense spending could rise from €95.1 billion in the 2025 draft budget to €161.8 billion by 2029, while the total volume of potential borrowing for defense in 2025–2029 was estimated at €380 billion.
auto industry, CRISIS, DEFENSE SECTOR, GERMANY, MANUFACTURING, reorientation
The results of a public opinion sociological survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in cooperation with the information and analytical center Experts Club indicate a consistently high level of positive attitude among Ukrainians toward Germany. In total, 77.4% of respondents evaluate the country positively, while a negative attitude was recorded in only 3.5% of those surveyed. Compared to August 2025, the indicators have practically not changed: positive assessments increased slightly (from 76.7%), while negative ones even decreased somewhat (from 4.0%).
The structure of responses demonstrates the dominance of a stable positive perception. The share of those who chose the option “completely positive” is 32.9%, while “mostly positive” accounts for 44.5%. This means that the overwhelming majority of respondents are not just inclined to evaluate Germany positively, but do so confidently and without significant reservations.
At the same time, the share of neutral assessments stands at 18.4%, which is a moderate indicator and свидетельствует о достаточно сформированном отношении к стране. Negative assessments remain minimal: 2.8% of respondents chose the option “mostly negative,” and only 0.7% selected “completely negative.” This level of negativity is one of the lowest among Ukraine’s key international partners.
The stability of the indicators over time confirms that attitudes toward Germany have a long-term character and are not subject to significant fluctuations under the influence of short-term factors. Unlike some other countries, where an increase in polarization or a shift in evaluations is observed, in the case of Germany public opinion remains consolidated.
From an analytical point of view, this indicates a high level of trust and a stable image of the country in Ukrainian society. The combination of a significant share of “completely positive” and “mostly positive” responses indicates that Germany is perceived not only as an important partner, but also as a reliable and predictable participant in international processes.
“In the case of Germany, we see one of the highest levels of stable positive perception among all countries. This means that the assessment is formed not situationally, but on the basis of long-term experience of interaction and clear ideas about the role of this state. Such indicators testify to a high level of trust in society,” said Oleksandr Pozniy, Director of the research company Active Group.
Overall, the results of the study show that Germany occupies a special place in Ukrainians’ perceptions of international partners. The combination of a high level of positivity, minimal negativity, and stable dynamics indicates a formed and устойчивый positive image which, unlike other countries, is almost not subject to fluctuations in the short term.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Germany is among the top three largest trading partners of Ukraine, with a total trade volume exceeding $9 billion. A significant volume of imports of German goods creates a negative balance, which indicates high demand for German industrial products.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found via the link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, GERMANY, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
Die Ukraine hat in den letzten Jahren ihre Präsenz auf dem deutschen Markt für gefrorene Himbeeren deutlich ausgebaut, der zusammen mit Polen nach wie vor ein wichtiger Absatzmarkt für ukrainische Beeren ist und die Exporttrends für die Branche bestimmt, berichtet der Verband „Yagidnyctvo Ukrainy“.
Nach Angaben des Verbandes führte das Wachstum des ukrainischen Angebots zuvor zu einem Rückgang der durchschnittlichen Importpreise in Deutschland um fast die Hälfte.
Gleichzeitig kam es 2025 aufgrund von Ernteeinbußen in der Ukraine, Polen und Serbien zu einer Verknappung auf dem europäischen Markt, was die Preise in Deutschland auf das Niveau von 2022 steigen ließ, wie der Verband feststellt und dabei die Sensibilität des Marktes gegenüber Produktionsausfällen bei den drei wichtigsten Lieferanten, darunter die Ukraine, betont.
The volume of tractor imports to Ukraine in January 2026 amounted to $33.3 million, which is 24.2% less than in the same month of 2025 ($43.9 million), according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to the published statistics, tractor imports decreased by 2.5 times compared to December last year.
Last month, tractors were imported mainly from China (31.2% of total imports of this equipment, or $10.4 million), the United States (13.3%, or $4.4 million), and Germany (11.8%, or $3.9 million), while last year China was also the leader ($9.34 million), Germany was second ($5.5 million), and the United States was third ($3.7 million).
According to statistics from the State Customs Service, last month $0.4 million worth of tractors were exported, mainly to Belgium (31.8%), while last year exports amounted to $0.56 million, with most supplies going to Zambia (41.4%).
As reported, the volume of tractor imports to Ukraine in 2025 reached $845.7 million, exceeding the 2024 figure by 7.9%. The main suppliers were the United States ($179.7 million), Germany ($145 million), and China ($142.8 million). Exports amounted to $6.6 million, compared to $5.4 million in 2024, and were mainly to Romania, Belgium, and Germany.
Anka Feldhusen, German ambassador to Ukraine from July 2019 to July 2023, will take office as business ombudsman on February 1, 2026, replacing former Canadian ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk, who was approved for the position by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on December 9, 2021, the Business Ombudsman Council announced on Facebook on Thursday.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the decision of the Supervisory Board of the Business Ombudsman Council of November 25, 2025, to appoint Feldhusen by Order No. 9 of January 7, which is published on the government portal.
“I could not imagine a better successor than Anka Feldhusen. Her personal involvement in Ukraine since the mid-1990s, her comprehensive knowledge of government and business structures, and her empathy for the daily military (and other) challenges of Ukrainian life: I can only wish her and the renowned team of the Business Ombudsman Council continued success!” Vashchuk wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
The Business Ombudsman Council recalled that Feldhusen has considerable experience in diplomatic work in Ukraine, because before her appointment as ambassador in 2010-2015, she was deputy head of mission in Kyiv, and in 1994-1997 she headed the embassy’s press and protocol department.
In total, she has more than 30 years of experience working in the German Federal Foreign Office, and from 2016 to 2019, she served as head of department in the Administration of the German Federal President. From 2015 to 2016, she headed the regional department for East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and Sudan at the German Foreign Ministry. From 2002 to 2005, she was deputy head of mission in the Cuban capital, Havana.
Feldhusen speaks German (native), English, Ukrainian, French, Spanish, and Russian.
“It is a great honor for me to return to Ukraine as an advocate for the rights of entrepreneurs, whose resilience and determination support the country’s economy and defense capabilities in these difficult times. I believe that working to eliminate barriers and unfair practices on the part of state authorities is the basis for business development and attracting investors, despite the ongoing full-scale war,” the future business ombudsman commented on her appointment.
The Business Ombudsman Council (BOC) was established in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on the Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Initiative, signed in 2014 by the Ukrainian government, five business associations, the EBRD, and the OECD. Since 2015, the BOC has been operating as an independent permanent advisory and consultative body to the Cabinet of Ministers, with a team of more than 30 experts.
The council’s mission is to promote a transparent business environment by reviewing complaints from companies about violations or corruption by officials. The BOC, headed by the Business Ombudsman, acts as a neutral, extrajudicial mechanism and promotes constructive dialogue between business and government.
The BOC is funded by a Multilateral Donor Account managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Donors include Austria, Denmark, the EU, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Before Waschuk, the business ombudsman was former Warsaw Mayor Marcin Świecicki, appointed in 2019, and the first to hold this position in 2014 was Algirdas Šemeta, former Minister of Finance of Lithuania, European Commissioner for Budget and Financial Planning (2009-2010) and for taxation, customs union, audit, and anti-fraud (2010-2014).
As previously reported by Alexei Dolgikh, managing partner of Boyden Ukraine, a company specializing in the search for senior executives and selected by the EBRD to conduct the selection of a new business ombudsman, there were no Ukrainians among the candidates. “There were zero Ukrainian candidates for business ombudsman. They don’t believe in it,” Dolgikh said at the International Forum of Corporate Directors, held by the Professional Association of Corporate Governance (PACG) in early December 2025 in Kyiv.
Dolgikh told Interfax-Ukraine that three strong candidates had been selected, from which the Business Ombudsman Council made its final choice.
ANKA FELDHUSEN, Business Ombudsman, Former ambassador, GERMANY
According to the project Relocation.com.ua, Spain has become the largest “issuer” of first residence permits (first residence permits) in the European Union in 2024, followed by Germany and Poland, according to Eurostat data.
According to statistics, Spain issued 561.64 thousand first residence permits, Germany – 544.987 thousand, Poland – 488.846 thousand, Italy – 346.411 thousand, France – 342.208 thousand. European Commission
These five countries together accounted for 65.1% of all first residence permits issued in the EU in 2024. In total, EU countries issued 3.5 million first residence permits to non-EU citizens in 2024, 8.3% less than in 2023.
http://relocation.com.ua/spain-and-germany-lead-the-way-in-issuing-the-first-npi/
