Western countries traded with the Russians during the Cold War so this seems like a weak argument. Where does the NATO treaty stipulate a trade embargo against the Russians?
Trade seems fine, it is being dependent which is potentially dangerous.
In the cold war, it was the USSR which was more dependent. Without food grown in North America, they were (IIRC) looking at WWII levels of rationing, in the 80s, which would have made people pretty unhappy. They sold oil to buy this food, but most of the west could have got by without this trade. (Not sure how dependent W.Germany was, at that point.)
Western Germany got gas from the Sowjets since the 70s. It is more the eastern eurpean countries that risk being in trouble. Using "German energy dependency" is just a straw man. Oh, I have the impression the real reason a commercial conflict between the US and Russia.
In the cold war, it was the USSR which was more dependent. Without food grown in North America, they were (IIRC) looking at WWII levels of rationing, in the 80s, which would have made people pretty unhappy. They sold oil to buy this food, but most of the west could have got by without this trade. (Not sure how dependent W.Germany was, at that point.)