Germany’s position as Europe’s leading economic and political power put Chancellor Merkel in an awkward position vis-a-vis how to address Vladimir Putin’s extra-territorial activities. With high implied stakes for the post-Cold War order, Germany must carefully balance its self-interest with its obligations to NATO and its neighbors. This makes Germany particularly vulnerable to a backlash, both from Europe — if it fails to do the ‘right’ thing — and Russia, so the Chancellor must proceed with caution.
A majority of Germans remain unconvinced that increased military spending is the answer, with a Reuter’s poll from June finding that 74 percent of …read more
Source: The Huffington Post
