As more than 50 leaders met for the European Political Community summit, there was a chance for Britain to stake out a leadership role on Ukraine and European security, which could bolster Keir Starmer’s efforts towards a reset with the EU.
The Prime Minister’s friend, the centre-Left Mr Scholz, is now a lame duck far behind the conservative CDU party in the polls.
Its leader Friedrich Merz has signalled that he would give Ukraine the long-range missiles it has pleaded for and aims to stimulate growth by cutting taxes and red tape in contrast to Mr Scholz’s high tax and spend strategy.
But Mr Scholz is intent on keeping this government-in-waiting out of power by not holding elections until March, two months after Trump will be inaugurated.
That will achieve nothing beyond prolonging Germany’s paralysis and weakening European preparations for Trump 2.0.