Germany Does What It Can - Despite Pressure and Sanctions, Berlin Businessmen Try to Maintain Relations

Alexander Rahr, political scientist (Germany): There are two reasons why the need to agree with Trump is so urgent. The first reason is a dispute between America and Europe over the restriction of European imports to America. This is the first. America is ready not to apply new penalty tariffs to Germany and a number of other countries. Such tariffs have already been imposed on China, but not yet against Europe. But the second main problem is Russia. German companies are howling with pain and fear. If extraterritorial sanctions, which Trump has not yet introduced, but wants to pass through American Congress, will be introduced, they will mostly affect German and European companies, not Russian ones. All German companies including medium-sized businesses that work with Russia will be fined and lose their markets in America. There was no such situation in Germany yet. German businessmen say me that this is a serious "game changer". Unfortunately, nobody supports Germany in this issue. I think this would be right if the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Chancellor of Austria went to Trump along with Angela Merkel. The Chancellor of Austria is always in favor of lifting sanctions against Russia. But they are still silent. They can't because they are afraid of America.

- They will look at you and decide whether to go to America or not. Will they succeed or not? What do you think?

 

- I think that there'll be some result. There have already been talks about this, sanctions have already been introduced. The German government managed to soften the sanctions slightly last year, in July, when German companies became a sort of an exception. Exceptions were made, but the sanctions weren't lifted. This means that at any moment this sword of Damocles can fall on the heads of German businessmen. What Andrei Kokoshin said is absolutely true — the German government, the German authorities have always pushed business to Russia even in the most difficult times in order to build good relations with the USSR and then Russia. And they are responsible for this business. Therefore, Merkel has no option but to defend this business. I stress that it will be possible to agree with Trump, but it will be difficult with Congress. It's they who want to destroy the Russian economy.

- Oh, this Congress.