Episode 1 looks at why it’s important to understand Germany when looking at international politics today. The country’s past policies put it under the spotlight when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It drew further attention to itself when Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a ‘Zeitenwende’ or epochal shift and the need for Germany to change with the times. Germany has come a long way but has moved slowly on weapons for Ukraine. By contrast, it has speedily replaced Russian gas supply, but has created new dependencies on authoritarian states. The national security strategy suggests geostrategic confusion rather than a clear vision for the future.