This Can’t Go On Forever*

*Editor’s note: On March 4, 2022, Russia enacted a law that criminalizes public opposition to, or independent news reporting about, the war in Ukraine. The law makes it a crime to call the war a “war” rather than a “special military operation” on social media or in a news article or broadcast. The law is understood to penalize any language that “discredits” Russia’s use of its military in Ukraine, calls for sanctions or protests Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It punishes anyone found to spread “false information” about the invasion with up to 15 years in prison.
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Dmitry Drize discusses the results of Friedrich Merz’s visit to the U.S.

Friedrich Merz stated that he left satisfied with the results of his visit to the U.S. According to the federal chancellor of Germany, the head of the White House assured Europe of his unceasing support for NATO and the strategy of mutual security. However, according to information from the media, Merz failed to convince Donald Trump to put serious pressure on Russia. As such, the main goal of his visit was left unfulfilled. Kommersant’s political analyst Dmitry Drize believes that the U.S. president has found himself in a tight spot.

Merz was unlucky. His visit to the U.S. had a chance to become a historic, breakthrough event; however, it ended up on the sidelines due to an even more historic scandal between Trump and Elon Musk. The main result of the federal chancellor’s stay in the White House is probably the American president’s agreement to visit Germany in turn. Trump, it would seem, reassured his distinguished guest that he wouldn’t abandon NATO. Regarding Ukraine, it seems that Trump himself doesn’t fully understand how to go on, so he didn’t, and couldn’t, give any guarantees regarding further support for Kyiv. However, he did state that he is helping the country as much as he can — with the resource deal being confirmation, although it has been slightly forgotten lately. The parties to the deal are currently discussing the mechanisms of its actual implementation.

Newspapers claim that Merz came with one goal in mind: to plead with Trump to increase pressure on Russia. He spoke out openly in support of Kyiv and promised it more aid.

Trump let him know that the U.S. president doesn’t have any plans to radically change his approach to the matter — or rather, that he doesn’t want to make any sudden moves. His allies in Europe, as well as some forces within the U.S. (let’s call them that), and even the representatives of the president’s entourage are trying to coerce him into making these sudden moves. Merz, in a conversation with representatives of the American establishment, tried to convince them that there’s a threat coming from the East.

The main problem is that this can’t go on forever. Trump will have to make a decision. Sooner or later. Something tells me that the scandal around Musk is far from the last one we’ll see. The current American administration and the president’s support team contains a lot of, let’s say, controversial figures who may spring all sorts of surprises at any moment. Such a thing is especially inconvenient when business on the so-called foreign policy track isn’t going too well.

Unsettled issues of Iran, Ukraine, tariff wars, and the scandal with Musk — all of these are definitely not playing in favor of the 47th president’s ratings. Europe isn’t too comfortable with the prospect of taking on the leading role and replacing the world hegemon, though it seemed that Europe wanted to do just that. As for the new chancellor of Germany, for now, he has nothing to boast about in the area of foreign policy. It is too early, however, to evaluate his successes and failures.