The tyranny of Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine woke up Europe's "sleeping giant", Germany, which now has to change its energy, foreign and defense policies. This is an opportunity for Berlin, and it can become a nightmare for the Russian president, "Economist" writes.Germany's partnership relations with Russia and its dependence on Russian gas were disavowed by the war in Ukraine. It turned out not only how much Berlin was exposed to the Kremlin's energy blackmail, but also that the import of raw materials from Russia is the financing of its military operations - reminds the British weekly.However, the invasion of Ukraine has awakened the "sleeping giant" and could lead to a change in Berlin's policy to lead to what would be Putin's "personal nightmare", a stronger and bolder Germany in a more united Europe, "Economist" says."The good news is that the challenges (for Germany) have to be overcome. When Putin started his invasion, Germany was importing 55% of its gas from Russia. Pessimists warned that if (Russian) supplies were to disappear, German factories would close and families would be closed." tremble with cold in their kitchens "- writes the weeklyHowever, despite the reduction in gas imports from Russia, gas reserves for the winter are growing in Germany at a normal pace. The industry announced that it could cut gas consumption much more than expected. Germany is restarting coal-fired power plants, investing in renewable energies and is likely to extend the operation of nuclear power plants. They should also lift the ban on shale gas extraction and reach for its large reserves - says the Economist.Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced an increase in defense spending, a more realistic foreign policy and a departure from the "pacifist taboo", aid for Ukraine and a thorough revision of relations with China. It is also expected to present a national security strategy soon.
