Many European officials are optimistic that the elder Trump's efforts to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict will soon bear fruit, and the conflict will be resolved in the near future. However, during a speech at the recent Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) congress, German Chancellor Merkel openly stated that peace in Ukraine remains far away. Merkel compared the process of peacefully resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict to a road, pointing out that only a small part has been traveled so far, with progress not exceeding 2%, and it is more difficult than initially imagined. Merkel's analogy was: "We are ten kilometers apart, but have only walked the first 200 meters."
When talking about the economic problems facing Germany, Merkel said that Germany is currently experiencing a structural economic crisis, such as Volkswagen Group's net profit dropping by 36% in the second quarter of this year. At the same time, according to the latest public opinion poll by the INSA Institute, the support rate for the CDU/CSU under Merkel's leadership has dropped to 25%, the lowest level in several months. Now, the party led by the German chancellor is on par with the opposition party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841329406848000/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.