Germany, the world’s fourth-largest economy and Europe’s most powerful nation, seems to be pulling away from its close partnership with the U.S., warns this segment of What’s Ahead.
This is good news for China and Vladimir Putin’s Russia and bad news for the free world.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is obstinately opting to become even more dependent on Russian natural gas instead of making the U.S. a substantial supplier, even though Putin has never hesitated to use this resource for political purposes.
Germany has been reluctant to rehabilitate its shabby armed services. Pressure by the Trump administration got the Merkel government to beef up its military spending, but Berlin may backslide absent heavy-duty Biden administration urgings.
Ominously, Germany has been standoffish in the growing conflict between Beijing and Washington, including the transfer of strategic technologies.
The Biden administration has a critical task in getting Berlin to recognize that a close partnership between our two countries is critical to preserving the free world’s security.
Steve Forbes is Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media.
Steve’s newest project is the podcast “What’s Ahead,” where he engages the world’s top newsmakers,
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Steve Forbes is Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media.
Steve’s newest project is the podcast “What’s Ahead,” where he engages the world’s top newsmakers, politicians and pioneers in business and economics in honest conversations meant to challenge traditional conventions as well as featuring Steve’s signature views on the intersection of society, economic and policy.
Steve helped create the recently released and highly acclaimed public television documentary, In Money We Trust?, which was produced under the auspices of Maryland Public television. The film was inspired by the book he co-authored, Money: How the Destruction of the Dollar Threatens the Global Economy – and What We Can Do About It.
Steve’s latest book is Reviving America: How Repealing Obamacare, Replacing the Tax Code and Reforming The Fed will Restore Hope and Prosperity co-authored by Elizabeth Ames (McGraw-Hill Professional).
Steve writes editorials for each issue of Forbes under the heading of “Fact and Comment.” A widely respected economic prognosticator, he is the only writer to have won the highly prestigious Crystal Owl Award four times. The prize was formerly given by U.S. Steel Corporation to the financial journalist whose economic forecasts for the coming year proved most accurate.
In both 1996 and 2000, Steve campaigned vigorously for the Republican nomination for the Presidency. Key to his platform were a flat tax, medical savings accounts, a new Social Security system for working Americans, parental choice of schools for their children, term limits and a strong national defense. Steve continues to energetically promote this agenda.
