Arguably the Moscow-Berlin axis is even older than discussed here. Certainly Bismarck recognized its importance, and Germany paid dearly for a century thanks to Wilhelm II’s folly in rejecting Bismarck’s Reinsurance Treaty.
The “social medialization” of the war as a moral issue has frozen all initiatives besides the improbable (not to say impossible, though I think it is impossible) idea that Ukraine can defeat Russia. For now this is conviniente for the US that can feed weapons into the conflict and degrade Russian military capabilities with Ukrainian blood. The US military can also test alot of ideas and weapons systems as they think about a future conflict with China. Will a long, cold, dark winter in Europe change this? It may not immediately as European government elites have again and again not seen the obvious as they pursue politically correct policies. So none of this looks too good (except for producers of military hardware).
Excellent stuff – any more sources on your read of the Western/Russian interventions in Syria? Had no idea there was a turn in the composition of the rebels that led to a queasy coalitional realignment
Forgetting geography for the time being, Russia and Germany are natural allies, in that each has what the other wants and can get by cooperating.
Germany has investment capital, technical knowhow and industrial and consumer products, along with an aging population.
Russia has abundant natural resources to fuel German factories, markets for German industrial and consumer products, a destination for German investment capital and knowhow, and workers who can work in German factories to pay German pensions but without actually moving to Germany.
Russia and China are not natural allies, but have been driven together by American aggression.
What is so important about Ukrainian neutrality to Russia and does that just mean Russian power to make political decisions for you Ukraine? Seems easier to accept Russian advances and then Ukraine joining NATO to defecto end to sovereignty for Ukraine with territorial integrity.
Arguably the Moscow-Berlin axis is even older than discussed here. Certainly Bismarck recognized its importance, and Germany paid dearly for a century thanks to Wilhelm II’s folly in rejecting Bismarck’s Reinsurance Treaty.
The “social medialization” of the war as a moral issue has frozen all initiatives besides the improbable (not to say impossible, though I think it is impossible) idea that Ukraine can defeat Russia. For now this is conviniente for the US that can feed weapons into the conflict and degrade Russian military capabilities with Ukrainian blood. The US military can also test alot of ideas and weapons systems as they think about a future conflict with China. Will a long, cold, dark winter in Europe change this? It may not immediately as European government elites have again and again not seen the obvious as they pursue politically correct policies. So none of this looks too good (except for producers of military hardware).
Excellent stuff – any more sources on your read of the Western/Russian interventions in Syria? Had no idea there was a turn in the composition of the rebels that led to a queasy coalitional realignment
Forgetting geography for the time being, Russia and Germany are natural allies, in that each has what the other wants and can get by cooperating.
Germany has investment capital, technical knowhow and industrial and consumer products, along with an aging population.
Russia has abundant natural resources to fuel German factories, markets for German industrial and consumer products, a destination for German investment capital and knowhow, and workers who can work in German factories to pay German pensions but without actually moving to Germany.
Russia and China are not natural allies, but have been driven together by American aggression.
What is so important about Ukrainian neutrality to Russia and does that just mean Russian power to make political decisions for you Ukraine? Seems easier to accept Russian advances and then Ukraine joining NATO to defecto end to sovereignty for Ukraine with territorial integrity.