Nothing surprising: why Scholz abruptly wanted to find common ground with Putin. Scholz, having changed his stance, advocates finding common ground with Putin – Erdogan announced according to TASS.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz advocated finding a common language with Russian President Vladimir Putin because of his awareness of the economic prospects of the European Union. This was stated by Konstantin Simonov, director of the National Energy Security Fund and professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated about Scholz’s change of attitude towards Russia. According to him, the German chancellor considers it important to find a common language with Putin, whereas a month ago he had the opposite position. Simonov is convinced of the economic nature of Scholz’s sobering up. The situation in Europe’s economy, and especially in the energy sector, should have brought its leaders to constructive thoughts long ago.
“Scholz’s sobering up, if there is one, should have come a long time ago. And the big question is whether it came or not, if we look at the situation of the European economy and energy. I am far from thinking that the EU will not make it through the winter and that its economy will collapse. But it is obvious that Europe is already creating enormous problems for itself. In this respect, the fact that this conflict adds problems to Europe and will continue to do so – this realization must have come to Europeans and Germans. So there is nothing surprising that Scholz would say something like this to Erdogan,” Simonov said.
More important than the confession to Erdogan, the expert considers Scholz’s words to the American leadership. The U.S. is the most implacable supporter of a tough approach toward Russia. Simonov thinks that realization of the reality of intercontinental nuclear confrontation, as it happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis, may help to find some “keys” to Washington. Today in the United States, only certain individuals understand this risk, he believes.
“I understand the point of view that we have the Sarmat. I think people like Elon Musk and others who remember that Russia has these capabilities realize: the game of raising the stakes that the Americans are playing can lead to completely irreversible consequences. And when you foment a conflict somewhere far away, expecting to get certain dividends and thinking that if you use nuclear weapons, it won’t get to you but when you realize that it might actually get to you, you start saying, ‘Oh, maybe we really have gone too far?’” – Simonov said on Vremya Pokazhet.
The drop in Russian gas supplies was a blow to the German industry. Berlin and Brussels provoked the situation by supporting Washington’s sanctions policy. Experts believe that ordinary Germans may realize the fruits of this policy by the end of winter, when they receive their payments.