It is only my claim that their interests are not completely aligned. US is much more energy independent and gepolitically secure across the ocean from whatever happens on the "world-island" [0].
Whereas Europe might directly suffer from instability and chaos, as well as loss of Russian energy supplies, the US would not and in relative terms becomes stronger if Europe is severed from Russian energy, and the continent is in conflict and chaos.
Europe having tight relations with Russia, economically especially energy-wise, is greatly beneficial to Europe and detrimental to US hegemony.
> Europe having tight relations with Russia, economically especially energy-wise, is greatly beneficial to Europe
You're once again excluding any calculations of Russia using the money to run around overthrowing democracies. "It's greatly beneficial if you ignore all the mass murder."
The whole reason why they're now cancelling NS2 is because of this. Germany likes cheap energy, sure, but they're less than enthused about the money paying for that cheap energy going into executing and raping civilians in Ukraine.
> The United States accounts for the vast majority of airstrikes (75–80%), with the remainder conducted by Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Belgium, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
> Since at latest 2004, a significant goal of the group has been the foundation of a Sunni Islamic state. Specifically, ISIL has sought to establish itself as a caliphate, an Islamic state led by a group of religious authorities under a supreme leader – the caliph – who is believed to be the successor to Prophet Muhammad.
> It is in EU's interest to keep trading with Russia
Russia's been blatantly assassinating people across Europe for years and would invade Poland in a second for personal pleasure even if it caused an economic loss for them again.
They haven't evolved past Mongol horde methods of living with their neighbors and are relying on everyone else always taking the "rational" result of appeasing them rather than fighting back. The correct response in this iterated game is to punish them and let their more productive people immigrate to you.
No it's in Germanys interest to f*ck Russia up as much as they can financially (and in terms of weapon shipments ( in the hope it ends the war sooner. And diversify their energy.
Germany's intrest is for Ukraine to win as quick as possible
Before the war Germany at least had a reasonable sounding argument (peace through trade) but it's been proven totally wrong they need to admit they were wrong and move on
Maybe in the short term, but it's become clear from this conflict that Russia uses its economic exports as political leverage-- as does any nation.
The problem comes from what they've decided to use their exports as leverage for.
Economic interests don't have to perfectly align for one nation's relationship and favor to be preferable over another.
Economic interests don't exist in a space devoid of cultural, ideological, or emotional ones.
Reaching the conclusion that relationships should be normalized is only truly ideal if you're viewing it: A) in an economic only vacuum and B) from a lens of maximizing Russia's resource based leverage, because that's all they have.
Russia has been a hostile actor to germany and the rest of the EU for more than a decade. Russia financially supports radical political movements with the sole intention to harm/destroy the EU.
Russia has regularly ppl killed on european soil. Sometimes using chemical weapons that cause collateral damage.
Russia has an extensive propaganda and disinformation network running in europe.
Russia massively buys political influence by shopping for ex politicians, this way corrupting the political process.
Russia has a history of military conflicts with its neighbours, see occupation of Trnsnrista in moldowa, abchasia and south ossetia in georgia, the annihilation of chechnia, all the stuff in ukraine and helping belarusian dictator Lukachenko suppressing his people.
Looking at the levels of gas storage in europe by gazprom it is very obvious that its behaviour was not driven by good faith financial interests but as a weapon of the kremlin against europe.
And lets not forget the shooting down of MH17 where, not only did the russians deny any responsibility, they even clogged the public discourse with disinformation campaigns of tons of ridiculous and contradictory theories.
So, no it is not immensely in the interest of Germany to have good relations and continued trade with Russia as long as this regime is in power. Flood ukraine with heavy weapons till the russians are driven out. Then put up a new iron curtain till something substantial changes for the better.
Whereas Europe might directly suffer from instability and chaos, as well as loss of Russian energy supplies, the US would not and in relative terms becomes stronger if Europe is severed from Russian energy, and the continent is in conflict and chaos.
Europe having tight relations with Russia, economically especially energy-wise, is greatly beneficial to Europe and detrimental to US hegemony.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Geographical_Pivot_of_Hist...