Will the Biden-Zelensky co-operation be the denouement of Putin?

One could almost say it was inevitable that following  Merkel, Germany's CDU Party would crown a pro-Putin successor to replace her when she steps down as the current leader of the CDU.

As reported by Joel Day,

"Mr Laschet's appeasement towards Russia has led many within Germany to describe him as a Russlandversteher (cf. also Wikipedia): A derogatory term for people who take a soft and sympathetic stance on Mr Putin’s Russia, according to Politico." (Express : 18 January 2021) (my emphasis)

Indicative of Laschet's pro-Putin stance, Daniel Johnson (right) informs us that,

"Laschet seems inclined to trust the Russian President even when the evidence of his culpability is overwhelming. For example, after the Salisbury poisoning, he responded to the British request for Western sanctions by tweeting: “If you force almost all Nato countries to show solidarity, shouldn’t you have reliable evidence?” Given the devastating detail with which British investigators built the case that this chemical weapons attack must have been authorised at the highest level (i.e. by Putin himself), this expression of scepticism is deeply disturbing." (The Article : 18 January 2021) (my emphasis)

Admittedly, Lascher may not succeed in becoming Chancellor of Germany during the German election later this year.

However, should he succeed in becoming Germany's next Chancellor, Zelensky should expect him to tacitly support the lifting of the EU sanctions against Putin, sanctions which were put in place because of Putin's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, and his support for his proxies in the Donbas.

Laschet  will, however, be dealing with Joe Biden, the new US President who has his sights already set on Putin.

Already, as reported by Michael Nienaber,

"The United States has informed the German government that it plans to sanction Russian vessel “Fortuna”, which is involved in construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and its owner KVT-RUS, German business daily Handelsblatt reported on Monday.

U.S. government officials informed Berlin and other European allies on Monday that the sanctions would go into effect on Tuesday, the newspaper added, without citing sources." (Reuters : 18 January 2021) (my emphasis)

“We’re taking note of the announcement with regret,” an Economy Ministry spokesman in Berlin said. (Michael Nienaber : Reuters : 18-19 January 2021) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as reported by UNIAN,

Ihor Zhovkva, the deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's Office, has outlined a number of priorities in cooperation between Ukraine and the administration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden.U.S (left). 

 

(i) support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, taking into account military aid...  And what is even more important is an increase in funding for the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine 

 

(ii) the United States' active involvement in the process of resolving the situation in Donbas and the end of the Russian occupation of Crimea.

 

(iii) the economic sector would remain one of the priorities on the agenda of bilateral relations between Ukraine and the United States.

 

(iv) Zhovkva also highlighted the fight against corruption as a priority in relations with the United States. "Here we will indeed be allies of President Biden in carrying out anti-corruption measures in Ukraine. (UNIAN : 18 January 2021) (my emphases)

 

If Biden's plan to sanction not only the "Fortuna" pipelaying vessel and its owner, KVT Rus, but also to fully support the above priorities coming out of Zelensky's office, how will Denmark and Germany react?

According to Kirsti Knolle and Oliver Danzer ,

"Denmark’s Nautiskinformation notified shippers on Thursday that prohibited areas near Bornholm would be established beginning on Friday for the pipe laying vessel Fortuna, assisted by construction and supply vessels.

Earlier, the German business daily Handelsblatt said the NS2 group, which is led by Russia’s Gazprom, was delaying the completion work, linking this to enhanced sanctions pressure from Washington aimed at halting the project." (Reuters : 15 January 2021) (my emphasis)

And as DW reports,

 

"Germany's Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) on Friday said construction on the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline can restart immediately.
...[]
However, local media said the restart could still be delayed by legal action from environmental groups as the remaining stretch of the pipeline runs through the edge of a conservation area for birds.
...[]
Nord Stream 2 AG said despite the approval, work in German waters was unlikely to resume immediately." (DW : 15 January 2021) (my emphases)

Which must all be causing a headache for Putin and Merkel, the staunchest advocates of linking Putin's Russia and Merkel's Germany with the economic umbilical cord of Nord Stream2.

Will the Biden-Zelensky co-operation be the denouement of Putin?  

(to be continued)