But this solidarity seems to be bound by borders. As multiple European countries impose travel restrictions and close their gates, it becomes ever clearer where practical European neighborliness ends. The tough truth is that in this global emergency, while solidarity expands, the idea of “we” shrinks. My country, which takes some pride in being the European Union’s indispensable nation and economic powerhouse, is no exception — as Berlin’s approach to ventilators, Europe’s most wanted machines, shows.

Now is not the time for closing in on ourselves. Europe must step up its efforts, and Germany should lead the way.

Compared with other European states, Germany is by far best equipped to deal with the outbreak. Not only does it have a good number of intensive care beds — around 28,000 — it also possesses 25,000 ventilators, with 10,000 more on the way. France has only around 5,000 ventilators available. Italian hospitals, confronting the world’s most severe coronavirus situation, are already triaging patients, forced by a lack of resources to make excruciating decisions about whom to treat and when. As of Monday, the country’s fatality rate was around 11 percent, with 2,470 dead. In Germany, 13 patients have died.

So Germany has enough ventilators and can — by placing orders with domestic medical supply companies — produce more. And there’s a shortage elsewhere. Wouldn’t European solidarity mean Germany deliver at least some of the new ventilators to countries that currently need them most?

When I asked this question on Twitter, the quickest reaction came from those defending a narrow “we.” “If a German dies because of this, how do you want to explain?” one responded. “Do you want to let our parents and grandparents die?” another replied.