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1 US-German business relations Why Berlin can't go it alone on Russia Germany s special ties with Russia give Berlin a crucial role in trying to solve the Crimea Crisis. But that doesn t mean that Berlin alone can push Moscow to alter its stance, as some media reports insinuate.

Reading analytic pieces by influential international press outlets these days ( here, here, and here) one gets the impression that Berlin is the sole arbiter on Russia and can somehow just wave a

2 Reading analytic pieces by influential international press outlets these days ( here, here, and here) one gets the impression that Berlin is the sole arbiter on Russia and can somehow just wave a magic wand that will make Vladimir Putin reconsider his actions. It's a catchy idea whose only problem is that it is overly simplistic and thus wrong. To be clear, Germany has a unique relationship with Russia. As the EU's largest country and biggest economy situated in the center of Europe, it is only natural that Berlin would play a key role in any discussion between the EU and Russia on how to overcome the current crisis. Beyond that, Germany's own experience in dealing with its eastern half after the fall of Berlin Wall and its close economic and political ties with Russia give it added clout and a big stake in the crisis. Germany imports roughly 40 percent of its oil and gas from Russia, which makes it Berlin's largest energy supplier.

3 But it's not just Germany that needs Russia. The dependence is mutual. Germany is Russia's third largest trading partner; some 9 billion euros in direct investments and more than 6,000 German companies active in Russia play an important part in the Russian economy. Joint effort Notwithstanding that influence, Berlin is simply not the singular external player with the power to persuade Russia to rethink its game. It does not have the economic and political leverage to unilaterally make Moscow change tack anytime soon. Imposing economic sanctions would not only hurt Russia, but also hit the German economy, Europe's growth engine. What's more, sanctions would take time to have an impact, and as important as Germany is economically for Russia, only concerted Western sanctions would do the trick. "I don't think Germany alone can do this," James F. Collins, US ambassador to the Russian Federation from 1997 to 2001 told DW. "Honestly, Putin is the only one who can make this crisis go away and he has been remarkably resistant to listening to anybody," noted Olga Oliker, a senior Russia expert with the Rand Corporation in Washington. While both underscored Germany's central role in solving the Ukraine crisis, they dismissed the narrative that Berlin in and of itself could influence Moscow to change course.

Germany's Foreign Minister met with his Estonian colleague "Germany will need to bring along colleagues in the EU and be part of a larger community to be influential," said Collins.

4 Germany's Foreign Minister met with his Estonian colleague "Germany will need to bring along colleagues in the EU and be part of a larger community to be influential," said Collins. "And I think it will also be influential to the extent Washington and Berlin are on the same page." Leadership question The claim made in recent press coverage that the US has abdicated its leadership role on Ukraine to Germany is as naïve as is the idea that we are on the brink of a "Russo-German Europe." The more sober, if less juicy description, of how Europe and the US deal with Russia and the Ukraine is that of close cooperation that involves a division of labor as evidenced this week. While German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the crisis with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday, US President Barack Obama hosted Ukraine's interim prime minister in a high profile Oval Office meeting. And in what has been billed as a last chance to avert a further escalation of the crisis before the Crimea referendum, US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Russian counterpart in London on Friday.

"The reality is it's a kind of complimentary activity," said Collins. Obama met Ukrainian prime minister Jazenjuk Washington is deeply engaged in the Ukraine crisis diplomatically and militarily.

5 "The reality is it's a kind of complimentary activity," said Collins. Obama met Ukrainian prime minister Jazenjuk Washington is deeply engaged in the Ukraine crisis diplomatically and militarily. But the fact is that Ukraine and Crimea are simply not geopolitical priorities for the United States and that Washington's economic exposure to Russia and the region is considerably weaker than that of Germany and the EU. Matter of principle "For the United States Ukraine is far from a vital interest," notes Oliker. "For Europe and for Germany it is much more of one due to proximity, due to gas pipelines and due to just a much closer economic relationship with Russia. For the United States it's a matter of principle and certainly Europe as a whole is a vital interest of the United States." Neither Germany, the EU nor the US have a silver bullet that can coerce Russia to change course on Ukraine anytime soon. In the long-run however, a joint, coordinated effort that may well involve meaningful sanctions by all three parties is the best option to make Moscow reconsider its game.

6 Austrians: Austria- Introduction I. Bring a few important observations and/or questions about the topic to class II. Review the information below and choose a few videos to watch. III. Review current events (link on our website: and click on course icon or go directly to: For additional Austrian news, go to: Federal Chancellor Faymann: "Strengthening and defending democratic achievements" Statement at the commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust "The terrible crimes against humanity which were committed by the regime of the Third Reich and are based on an inhumane ideology must never be forgotten", said Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann today (Thursday) at the commemoration of the victims of National Socialism held in front of the Palais de l Europe in Strasbourg. "These days we do not only commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of the concentration and annihilation

7 camp in Auschwitz 69 years ago but also the murder of six million Jews, among them 1.5 million children", stated Mr. Faymann. IV. Write your summary (100 words): focus on a few interesting observations you make and a few questions you want to ask in class. Possible topics: General observations and impressions about today s Austria, current news from Austria Info: austria?utm_source=google&utm_medium=lwingcpc&utm_con tent=g&utm_campaign=austria%2bbranded&s_kwcid=tc austrian%20economy S e About Austria explore this site Explore interesting topics Skiing in Austria: Interesting topics: Breakfast:

8 issue- summerfall- 2013/did- you- know- that- they- are- austrian Video: Innovations and Facts Is Austria simply about good food and music? Video: Tour Vienna: Video: Impressions of Vienna: Video: Visions of Austria: very interesting visual journey: Austria: Austrian Culture: Tour the Chancellery in Vienna (historical) Today and the future: Portal to Austrian and World news: Video: Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) Video: Salzburg, Austria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwg- edfg3vm&feature=related Video: Scenes from Vienna http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn3jsk_hvqu&feature=rel ated More info: http://en.

uk/attraction_review- g190454- d245777- Reviews- Plague_Column_Pestsaule- Vienna.

9 edfg3vm&feature=related Video: Scenes from Vienna ated More info: g d Reviews- Plague_Column_Pestsaule- Vienna.html Schönbrunn Palace: Video: Schönbrunn:

10 10.png

11 Map with English names (as far a English names are used:) political- map.html

Information on the Rhine River: (Rhein): http://en.wikipedia.

12 Information on the Rhine River: (Rhein): The Rhine (Romansh: Rain; German: Rhein; French: Rhin; Dutch: Rijn) is a European river that begins in the Swiss canton of Grisons in the southeastern Swiss Alps, forms the Franco-German border, then flows through Germany and eventually empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands. It is the twelfth longest river in Europe, at about 1,233 km (766 mi),[2][3] with an average discharge of more than 2,000 m3/s (71,000 cu ft/s). The Rhine and the Danube formed most of the northern inland frontier of the Roman Empire and, since those days, the Rhine has been a vital and navigable waterway carrying trade and goods deep inland. It has also served as a defensive feature and has been the basis for regional and international borders. The many castles and prehistoric fortifications along the Rhine testify to its importance as a waterway. River traffic could be stopped at these locations, usually for the purpose of collecting tolls, by the state that controlled that portion of the river. A network of virgin glaciers and streams from the high Alps mountains trickle together to form the Rhine in Switzerland, with some contributions from northern Italy. Eventually, it flows to form a border with Switzerland on the west and Liechtenstein on the east. Austria replaces Liechtenstein on the eastern border before it briefly enters Austria and pours into Lake Constance, which is bordered by Switzerland to the south, Austria to the east and Germany to the north. It then travels west, flowing out of Lake Constance into Switzerland, before forming a border with Switzerland to the south and Germany to the north. The Rhine flows briefly into Switzerland at Basel, before turning north to form a short border between France to the west and Switzerland to the east. Just north of Basel, it continues as a border between Germany to the east and France to the west, before plunging deep into Germany. Then it crosses from Germany to the Netherlands where it finally breaks apart and releases into the North Sea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:rhein- Karte.

13 Karte.png click on link for larger resolution Maps of Austria: The Austro- Hungarian Empire (until 1914):

14 Austria today: austria.com/states- of- austria/ another map, with rivers: see next page

How Russia Depicts the Czech Republic

How Russia Depicts the Czech Republic Contextual content analysis based on big data from the Internet 26 August 2016 Introduction This unique study was created on the initiative of Semantic Visions, who