I think the message is clear that it’s best not to upset the US.
see I can understand this logic pre 2014, but post 2014 (i.e. Crimea), absolutely not
the euros paid to putin were used to re-arm and those weapons are now being used in Ukraine
and if he wins then Eastern Europe is next in line
but yes germans saved 2% on their gas bills for 10 years
I doubt Putin is suicidal. Eastern Europe is in NATO, hence protected.
you've seen the playbook in ukraine twice now
there will be an russian speaking minority in estonia/lithuania/... that will that rebel against anti russian oppression, guerilla warfare against the authorities, then they'll hold an rigged referendum, then a decade later the Russian government will formally annex what they've effectively controlled for years
he won't send tanks across the border that will trigger Article 5
So you mean it's OK to oppress people just because they are Russian, or speak Russian? And the bad guys are those against oppression?
Long story short I am not sure NATO Eastern Europe is protected 100%. Luckily for now Putin cannot afford another front but there is already some saber rattling between Belarus and Poland and Wagner is in Belarus.
And I don’t know who did the sabotage, and I don’t know if it was on the suggestion of the US, but the winner certainly seems to be the US which has very effectively pulled Germany away from Russia and Russian energy markets.