Olaf Scholz served as Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 2021 to 2025. Previously, he held several senior political offices, including Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister of Finance, as well as First Mayor of Hamburg. During his chancellorship, he introduced the Zeitenwende, a landmark shift in Germany’s foreign, security, and defence policy following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout his time in office, he advocated for a strong, united, and resilient Europe, emphasising closer European cooperation on security, economic competitiveness, and shared responsibility in addressing global challenges.