Russian President Vladimir Putin talks to German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Kurhaus resort garden in Wiesbaden, October 15, 2007. REUTERS/Bernd Kammerer/Pool
Ukraine Crisis Hardens Germany Against Russia, An Old Partner -- New York Times
BERLIN — Over recent months, something significant has happened in Europe: In the crisis over Ukraine, Germany has assumed leadership not just in its familiar fashion of trying to coax Russia away from belligerence and bluster, but in standing firm and imposing sanctions on Moscow even if it hurts German business.
Perhaps even more remarkable is that Germans, long anxious to preserve commercial, energy and cultural ties with their vast eastern neighbor, have gone along. Seventy percent of 1,003 adults polled last week by Infratest dimap for the public broadcaster ARD approved of stricter sanctions; just 15 percent viewed Russia as a reliable partner in a poll with a three-percentage-point margin of sampling error.
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Update: Merkel Wants to Continue Ukraine Talks With Putin Despite Sanctions -- Ria Novosti
My Comment: The Russian - German relationship is critical to the long term economic and security concerns of Europe. The Ukraine crisis is definitely testing it right now .... but unless Russia decides to invade Ukraine, this relationship will survive this crisis because it has to.
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