Given the situation between Russia and Ukraine, could we finally stop gushing over Angela Merkel’s brilliance at realpolitik?
She’s put the majority of the largest continental economy in NATO directly into the hands of Vladimir Putin. Over half of German energy is now supplied by Russia, with the failure of Germany’s green energy initiative and the attendant dismantling of Germany’s once awesome nuclear power capability. Germany’s economy can be thrown into a cataclysmic depression with the turning of a couple of valves.
Thus, NATO’s largest continental economy and military is at Putin’s dubious mercy.
Germany has to be calculating that if it participates in harsh sanctions against Russia, it makes itself vulnerable to Russian countermeasures. Already, Russia has been squeezing Europe’s gas supplies. It’s not at all clear that Germany would give up on the pipeline even if Russian tanks roll for Kyiv.
The Germans, meanwhile, aren’t willing to make even the slightest gesture toward deterring Russia. They are blocking Estonia, a fellow NATO ally, from sending howitzers to Ukraine that originated in Germany.
Why it’s almost as if this is another thing Trump was right about.
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