Historic German Reversal: Germany Recognizes the Price of Blind Loyalty to the USA
- ZrcaljenjeNovic
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz triggered a seismic shift in European politics on January 15, 2026, with his statements about Russia. After years of unwavering anti-Moscow rhetoric, he is now openly speaking about reconciliation and seeking balance with "Europe's largest neighbor."
Historic Reversal from Berlin
Merz, Germany's Chancellor, spoke words on January 15, 2026, that until recently were unimaginable: "If we succeed in restoring peace and freedom to Europe, if we finally find balance in relations with our largest European neighbor—I'm talking about Russia—if peace prevails, if freedom is guaranteed, then the EU, then we in Germany, will pass this test."
The Chancellor emphasized that he wasn't saying these words just because he was in eastern Germany: "I say this regardless of where I am in Germany." And he added explicitly, "Russia is a European state."
Reasons That Sobered Berlin
1. Energy Catastrophe and Industrial Collapse
The numbers are merciless. Since the USA destroyed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in September 2022—an act that Washington has never truly denied, and Europe silently accepted—Germany has been forced to buy energy at prices at least five times higher.
The German chemical industry, once the pride of the European economy, is collapsing. BASF is relocating production to Asia. Thyssen-Krupp warns of liquidation. Volkswagen is closing factories for the first time in its history. What cheap Russian gas enabled for decades—a globally competitive German industry—is now just a memory.
Berlin dutifully fulfilled the American "suggestion" that it must no longer buy "Russian gas," even though the move meant economic suicide. Today it's clear: America didn't blow up Nord Stream for Ukraine's freedom but to force Europe into dependence on more expensive American liquefied natural gas.
2. Internal Pressure from Alternative for Germany (AfD)
The AfD party, labeled "far-right" by mainstream media, is on the rise precisely because it openly speaks about what most Germans only whisper: that the war in Ukraine is harmful to German interests, that sanctions hurt Europe more than Russia, and that the alliance with the USA has become an existential threat to the German economy.
In eastern states, where people still retain memories of Willy Brandt's pragmatic "Ostpolitik," AfD achieves over 30% support. Merz knows: if he doesn't change course, AfD—the party promising peace with Russia and an end to energy dependence on the USA—will steamroll the CDU in upcoming elections.
3. Trump's Vengeful Diplomacy
Now Donald Trump 2.0 has arrived. He's no longer playing games: he openly demands the annexation of Greenland (which belongs to Denmark, an EU member!), threatens to take over the Panama Canal, speaks of Canada as the "51st state," and demands that the USA control the Mediterranean, etc.
When Trump openly said he would take Greenland by military force if necessary, Europe's ears were ringing. An ally that doesn't respect the sovereignty of its own allies? An ally openly talking about annexations in the 21st century?
Old German geopolitical wisdom has returned: better a pragmatic neighbor to the east than a dangerous mentor to the west.
Europe as a Victim of American Geopolitics
The war in Ukraine was not a spontaneous Russian turn. It was the culmination of decades of American NATO expansion toward Russian borders, breaking promises from 1990, organizing the Maidan (coup d'état) in 2014, arming Kyiv, and rejecting any diplomatic compromise.
Ukrainians were convinced they could defeat Russia because it served American interests: weaken Moscow without American casualties, sell weapons, and destroy European-Russian economic cooperation that threatened American influence.
The result?
Ukraine is devastated—it has lost a quarter of its population, a fifth of its territory, and its entire economy.
Russia has been strengthened—economically, militarily, and geopolitically.
Europe has lost everything—access to cheap energy, industrial competitiveness, security, and autonomy.
Meanwhile, the USA is selling record quantities of liquefied natural gas, its defense industry is recording record profits, the dollar remains secured, the EUR does not, and European competitors are collapsing.
What Does This Mean for the EU and the War in Ukraine?
If Germany, the EU's largest economy and de facto leader of European politics, distances itself from anti-Russian hysteria, it pulls the entire Union with it.
Hungary and Slovakia have long opposed sanctions. Italy is flirting with pragmatism. France under Macron speaks of "European autonomy." If Berlin joins in, this could be the end of the bloc.
This doesn't mean capitulation to Moscow. It means returning to rational geopolitics: acknowledging that Russia is part of the European space, that peace is in European interests, that sanctions harm Europe primarily, and that America is no longer a reliable partner.
This type of speech from Merz may be the first sign of historical awareness: Europe must exit the American geopolitical experiment before it completely collapses.
The war in Ukraine will not end with a Russian defeat—that's a fantasy. It will end with a diplomatic compromise. The only question is whether Europe will participate in this compromise as a partner or remain a passive victim paying the bills for American ambitions.
Merz has now said what many think but fear to say: peace with Russia is not a betrayal of the West. War for American interests, however, is a betrayal of Europe.
The question that remains: Will Merz's rhetorical sobering be followed by real politics, or is this just electoral tactics before the rise of AfD? We'll get the answer in the coming months, when Germany must choose: economy or ideology, reality or propaganda, USA agenda vs. European future and security and stability!
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