That means dependency.
You know, like Germany’s dependency on China? Ain’t no big deal, though. Their dependency on Russian energy worked out just fine, right?
Where would we be without China? There is hardly any other country Germany is more dependent upon than China.
It worked out great with Russia, didn’t it?
Germany’s Continued Illusions About China and Russia – Berlin’s pursuit of economic and political ties with Beijing and Moscow has created dangerous dependencies. A change in strategy would benefit both Germany and the EU
Over the years, these two authoritarian regimes embedded themselves in the German economy and ingratiated themselves with the elites. Such developments prevented the EU from forging a coherent, critical strategy toward both Moscow and Beijing.
It wasn’t our fault, Mom. The other kids were jumping off the bridge too. That’s why we’ve got this recession now, see?
Germany blames Putin for pushing economy towards recession – Vice-chancellor Robert Habeck signals ‘substantial downturn’ in the coming quarters.
Habeck (Greens) blamed the gloomy forecast on Vladimir Putin’s attempts to use energy as a tool to destabilize Europe. Habeck said forecasts would have been worse if Berlin had not taken action to soften the blow.
“The numbers are bad.”
Literally, to wave with a fence post. That is, to make a very broad hint, a wake-up call.
German Diplomatic Building in Kyiv Damaged by Russian Attack – Germany said a Kyiv building housing the German visa office had been damaged in the barrage of missiles that hit the Ukrainian capital on Monday and said Berlin would deliver the first of four modern air defense systems to Ukraine within days.
“Since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression, these offices have not been used by our embassy,” Germany’s foreign ministry said in a tweet. “Our colleagues at the embassy in Kyiv are well.”
It’s not like the Russians would ever interfere in Germany’s internal affairs or anything.
Germany’s cybersecurity chief faces dismissal, reports say – German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to dismiss the country’s cybersecurity chief due to possible contacts with people involved with Russian security services, German media reported late on Sunday, citing government sources.
Arne Schoenbohm, president of the BSI federal information security agency, could have had such contacts through the Cyber Security Council of Germany, various outlets reported.
Schoenbohm was a founder of the association, which counts as a member a German company that is a subsidiary of a Russian cybersecurity firm founded by a former KGB employee, they wrote…
War is now waged not only on the battlefield, but also on the Internet. Hackers are the soldiers of the modern age. And Russia is one of the most active players in cyberspace: Putin’s state apparatus disinforms with media loyal to the state, clogs up comment columns on social networks with the help of so-called troll factories, or blows the whistle on direct digital attacks on other states.
When trying to wiggle your way out of your self-imposed energy dependency on Russia.
Don’t get me wrong. Germans are very concerned about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. Very concerned. Or they were. Up until very recently.
Germany’s Scholz in Saudi Arabia as Gas Crunch Bites Economy – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz looked Saturday to secure more energy supplies, meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to discuss future cooperation, including on hydrogen imports, as Europe’s largest economy struggles with fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Talks between the two leaders in Jeddah dealt with the relationship between their countries, Scholz said. Germany is seeking to import “large amounts of hydrogen” amid a push to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, he said.
That means red alert.
Red alert for the German economy. After months of speculation, it is now official: Russia is turning off the gas tap on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline indefinitely. Germany is facing difficult times. Not only a cold winter is looming, but an industrial ice age.
German economy to shrink all winter as gas taps are turned off, Bundesbank says – The German economy is contracting already and will likely get worse over the winter months as gas consumption is cut or rationed, the country’s central bank said on Monday.
Once Russia turns off the supply. If it hasn’t already.
Germany takes control of Russian-owned refinery – The German subsidiary of Russian oil giant Rosneft was placed under trusteeship, giving Germany’s federal regulator control of a key source of fuel for Berlin.
The German subsidiary of Russian oil giant Rosneft was placed under trusteeship on Friday, giving Germany’s federal regulator control of the PCK refinery in Schwedt, a key source of fuel for the city of Berlin…
Rosneft Deutschland accounts for about 12% of Germany’s oil processing capacity and is one of the largest oil processing companies in the country, the ministry said.
German government policy has led to the cold (the energy “turnaround,” dependency on Russian gas, etc.) and the German people have been left out in the cold (inflation).
Germans revive Cold War Monday demonstrations amid inflation – Protesters from Germany’s left and the right have called for regular Monday protests against the rising cost of living. These evoke the peaceful revolution in East Germany but also of recent anti-immigrant rallies.
Parties on both the left and right of the political spectrum in Germany have announced a “hot autumn” with regular Monday demonstrations.
In… Australia?
Makes sense, if you think about it. That’s about as far away from Ukraine as you can get. It’s called deterrence or something.
Germany’s military ramps up presence in Indo-Pacific – Germany’s Bundeswehr is increasing its military presence in the Indo-Pacific — at a time when war rages closer to home, in Ukraine.
A war is raging in Europe. This has put a spotlight on Germany’s Bundeswehr and its shortcomings, with leading officers deploring a dramatic shortage of functional equipment.
And yet, Germany’s air force is currently participating in a military exercise on the other side of the globe, in Australia, where it has sent six Eurofighter jets.
