Last week, the parties in the Bundestag (parliament) agreed to the largest arms deal since the Nazi regime. With one trillion euros in play, the management boards of the crisis-ridden industrial conglomerates can smell new profits.

This includes Volkswagen (VW). At its annual press conference on March 11, Europe’s largest carmaker reported a significant decline in profits for 2024. At the same time, CEO Oliver Blume announced changes for the coming year and confirmed press reports that “in view of the current world situation” plans are being discussed “to enter the arms business.”