There is a clear-cut gap between Germany’s EU policies and its national interests in the German-Russian relations. On one hand, the Germans seem to support the "professed ambition" /Tony Barber, FT, 16 February 2021/ of a United States of Europe via a coherent foreign and security policy for a mature power. On the other hand, they try to maintain their special relationship with Russia based on mutual interests in trade and investments.
There is nothing to do with moral debt, the naked truth is business. Germany can either follow its economic interests as a member of the present European integration or must give them up, partly or entirely, in a much more binding United States of Europe.
Besides, all Central and Eastern Europeans face the same dilemma and the V4 region has a crystal-clear answer to that.
We do not wish to be a part of a new empire, European or not, it does not really matter.
Governor Matolcsy, MNB, the Central Bank of Hungary
