What Putin has gained on the roundabout with German business he is about to loose on the swings of Trump's impeachment.

"The Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP) was an American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the United States gave over $13 billion (approximately $132 billion in current dollar value as of October 2017) in economic support to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II (1948)." (Wikipedia) (my emphasis)

Of this, Germany received a total of $14.52 billion in today's current dollar value.

UNIAN now reports that,

"Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze (left) says the envoys from the United States, Canada, Japan and EU countries will hear the presentation of the so-called "Marshall Plan for Ukraine" in the Lithuanian Seimas on November 6" (UNIAN : 04 November 2017) (my emphasis)

This Marshall Plan for Ukraine, proposed by the Lithuanian parliament, envisages,

".. EUR 5 billion of annual support [to Ukraine] for reforms aimed at economic growth and development." (Interfax-Ukraine : 18.08.2017) (my emphasis)

As of 18th September 2017,

"Germany will consider its participation in the long term plan for support, the so-called Marshall Plan for Ukraine, as well as other initiatives aimed at support of reforms in Ukraine." (Censor Net : 18.09.17) (my emphasis)

And then Walter Steinmeier, Former Foreign Minister and now President of Germany, had a tête-à-tête with Putin on his visit to Moscow on the 25th October, at which he stated,

“It’s essential that we use this opportunity for us as presidents to continue our dialogue to try to improve our bilateral relations, the state of which we can’t be happy about,” Steinmeier told Putin at the start of talks. (Denis Pinchuk, Paul Carrel and Andrea Shalal : Reuters : October 25, 2017) (my emphasis)

Putin's response to his tête-à-tête with Steinmeier rather says it all.

"Putin said Moscow was ready to advance its relations with Berlin, adding that German businesses were looking to expand their presence in Russia.
.......
"Despite some certain political difficulties, Russian-German ties are not at a standstill," Putin said." (RFERL : October 25, 2017) (my emphasis)

As reported by TASS,

"The trade turnover in 2016 amounted to $40.7 bln, direct accumulated investments made by German companies in the Russian economy reached $18 bln," the Russian leader said at a meeting with German businessmen.
According to [Putin], "this year [2017], bilateral trade grew by 25% and investments in the first quarter alone amounted to $312 mln, while investments for the whole 2016 were $225 mln." (TASS : October 12, 2017) (my emphasis)

The $64 question is:

"Will the Putinversteher German businessmen jeopardise their growing trade with Putin by pushing Merkel to give the Lithuanian Marshall Plan for Ukraine her full support?"


As the old saying goes, "Pigs Will Fly!".


If German businessmen are more than eager to trade with Putin, we now learn that Wilbur Ross, the US Commerce Secretary appointed by Trump, was more than eager to invest in the shipping company Navigator, one of whom's biggest customers is the Russian company, 'Sibur'.

The owners of 'Sibur' include Putin's son-in-law Kirill Shamalov and Genady Timchenko, the latter on the US sanctions list.    

Wilbur Ross did not divest himself of his stake in Navigator when taking up his position as US Commerce Secretary, as now revealed in what is becoming known as the 'Paradise Papers', even though he claimed, during his Senate hearing, that he divested himself of ALL his business interests.

As evidence of the collusion between Trump and his associates, and Putin and his 'siloviki', continues to mount, it cannot be coincidental that, during his Asia trip Trump will be meeting with Putin in Danang.

As reported by Steve Holland, Trump stated that,

"We may have a meeting with Putin [at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang]. And, again Putin is very important because they can help us with North Korea. They can help us with Syria. We have to talk about Ukraine." (CNBC : Fri, 3 Nov 2017) (my emphasis)

Why this urgency on the part of Trump to "talk about Ukraine" with Putin?

Could it be that Trump is beginning to feel his imminent impeachment drawing ever closer?

And is it Trump's imminent impeachment that also panics Putin, since it will mean that the current additions to the US sanctions against himself and his 'siloviki', and which Trump has NOT YET signed into law, will immediately be signed into law by his successor, Mike Pence?

What Putin has gained on the roundabout with German business he is about to loose on the swings of Trump's impeachment.

Neither Trump nor Putin can disnetangle themselves from the scarlet thread of Maidan that tightly binds them together.

(to be continued)