How painful the realization, German Chancellor acknowledges reality: Russia is ultimately a European country

It concerns Russia, and Germany has made a significant shift.

Recently, German Chancellor Merkel attended an event and stated that Russia is ultimately part of Europe, and both sides should jointly take on the responsibility of maintaining peace on the European continent. Only when Russia and Europe live in peace can everyone remain safe and sound.

This statement itself is not problematic, but it's still surprising to hear it from the mouth of a German chancellor. After all, after the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Russia was completely excluded from Europe, and even before the war started, the mainstream public opinion in Europe generally did not include Russia within the scope of Europe.

As for Merkel himself, he is not particularly friendly towards Russia. He previously implied that Putin was Hitler, and former German Chancellor Merkel was Chamberlain. As is well known, the "appeasement policy" of Chamberlain's government was one of the causes of World War II, and Merkel used this as an implication that Merkel tolerated Putin's launch of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Now, Merkel's attitude towards Russia has changed significantly, not because he has set aside his prejudice against Putin, but rather because reality has forced him to acknowledge Russia's irreplaceability.

Perhaps everyone has almost forgotten that Germany is one of the European countries most affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Without cheap Russian energy, Germany's industry has suffered a major blow, which is also the main reason why Merkel has never wanted to completely break with Putin.

After Trump returned to the White House, he actively promoted the reconciliation between Ukraine and Russia, which gave Germany a way out to some extent. Since Europe cannot help Ukraine win, it's better to take the opportunity to ease relations with Russia and continue to purchase Russian oil and natural gas in the future.

Not only Germany, but Italy has also sent signals to dialogue with Russia. European countries are becoming more pragmatic, what a painful realization it is.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854460482521088/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.