Why Merkel Has the Clout to End the Ukraine Crisis

The Fiscal Times ^ | David Francis

[wetphoenix]

As the crisis in Ukraine continues with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s contempt of the west growing, it’s becoming clear that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be a key player if the crisis is to be resolved without a wider conflict.

Since the crisis began, Merkel has played the stern headmaster to the United States and Russia, which appear more as squabbling students than world powers. Amid heated rhetoric coming from both Washington and Moscow, Merkel has been measured, chastising Russia when necessary, but calling for restraint from countries eager to punish Russia.

Related: Putin Wants Eastern Ukraine. Let Him Have It

Merkel is in the perfect position to ease the crisis. She grew up in East Germany under Soviet rule, a period that Putin appears to aspire to bring back. As a fluent Russian speaker, she can communicate with Putin in his native tongue (Putin also speaks German).

She is also Putin’s closet European ally. The reason for this is pragmatic; Germany and Russia have deep economic ties through energy, and Russia relies on payment for this energy to fill state coffers. It’s also a reflection of the German public, which has grown skeptical of Washington during the Bush and Obama administrations.

[Gay State Conservative]

The only things that will end this are either Vlad Putin getting two in the hat from some Soviet politician who isn't a knuckledragging medieval savage (if there *is* any such thing) or the world stops buying the USSR’s oil and gas.

[danamco]

She was/is NOT happy with the U.S.’s spying on them!!!

[Drew68]

Angela Merkel is the only world leader in this crisis who is actually behaving like one. The other four players; Putin, Obama, Kiev and the separatists are acting like petulant children.

[jdsteel]

It doesn’t matter at all what this reporter or Merkel says. Germany is dependent on Russian natural gas and winter is coming. And Merkel and Putin know it.