There seems to be a growing awareness in Germany that the US-led new Cold War against Russia is harming German and Europe interests far more than American. Earlier this month, Gerhard Schroeder, the former SPD chancellor (1998-2005) delivered a scathing analysis of the fundamental divergence between Europe and the US.
Schroeder told the Eurasian Economic Forum in Verona: “I see the United States is interested in a weaker Russia, [but] the interest of Europe and Germany is that Russia will prosper.” The former chancellor, who is now chairman at Russian oil major Rosneft, said there were two fundamental reasons why an economically strong Russia was important for Germany and Europe. “We need a [export] market, especially Germany, [and] we need resources for our industry,” he said.
This strategic economic relationship is what lay behind the delegation of German business leaders to Sochi earlier this month where the head of Siemens and other companies met with President Putin to discuss future prospects. Political economist Peter Koenig, who previously worked as a senior analyst for the World Bank, says German industry increasingly realizes that future development depends on the country reorienting its economy toward Russia, China and the rest of Eurasia.
