Here's the dilemma. Germany put economic sanctions on Russia to punish them for brutally invading the sovereign country of Ukraine. But at the same time they heavily depend on imports of Russian natural gas and petroleum for which they pay a huge sum. So, while punishing Putin for the war, they are at the same time giving him the income he needs to continue it.
It's difficult because stopping the huge payments to Russia (which they strongly feel they should do) would also - without question - leave the German people painfully short of fuel.
So the debate in Germany right now can be summed up like this: "Europe's largest economy is trying to figure out just how badly it would fare without Russian gas." They could stop paying Putin altogether, but how much economic suffering are they willing to endure for it?
Dependence on Russia for its energy needs has been an awkward fact for years. Now it's acute.
from Foreign Policy
(cont'd tomorrow)
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