Biden humiliated as he’s ‘thrown under bus’ by Scholz and Macron during Russia talks

Russia could ‘put foot on throat of Germany’ says expert

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron both appear to be trying to deescalate tensions with the Kremlin. With Mr Macron’s recent visit, and Mr Scholz’s planned trip next week, the European leaders appear to be taking diplomatic approaches towards Russia. US President Joe Biden has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of “severe” consequences if it invades Ukraine, including scrapping an £8billion gas project with Germany.

But Brandon Weichert, author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, warns that his NATO allies in Europe are taking a much softer approach.

He told Express.co.uk: “Paris is hesitant about getting too bogged down in a Russo-American fight over Ukraine for the same reason that Germany is desperate to avoid escalation in the particular fight over Ukraine.

“Paris, like Berlin, fears the prospects of their own countries becoming frontline states yet again in either a renewed Cold War between Russia and the US or, more frighteningly, an actual war.

“Under those conditions, France would have to make the ultimate choice behind which side they would align and that could have severe ramifications for France’s military, its political system, and its economy.”

France and Germany heavily rely on Russia for its energy supplies.

While the US has its own supplies of gas, up to half of Germany’s natural gas imports are supplied by the Kremlin.

And nearly a quarter of France’s natural gas comes from Russia.

This may be why the pair are not ordering as “severe” consequences for Russia as Mr Biden has demanded.

Mr Weichert continued: “France is more than happy to remind the world of its commitment to the idea of democracy and freedom but they are frantically trying to lead the rest of Europe to an off-ramp when it comes to tensions with Russia.

“Even if that means throwing the Americans under the bus, which they will because Paris thinks that would weaken America’s unwanted hold over European affairs.”

This comes after Mr Biden has made clear that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will transit gas from Russia to Germany should be scrapped if Moscow attacks Ukraine.

The US President said: “If Russia invades, that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2.

“We will bring an end to it.”

But Germany, which entered into this gas deal with Mr Putin, is yet to directly echo those calls.

The US claims that because Nord Stream 2 is not yet operational, the pipeline can be used as leverage against the Kremlin.

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It argues that the threat of abandoning the project might discourage an invasion, and cancelling it would likely be part of a range of “severe” sanctions that the US has warned Moscow about.

But Mr Sholz has still not directly answered whether he would scrap the project which could double gas exports to Europe.

Although he has signalled some willingness to support his American allies.

Mr Sholz said: “I want to be absolutely clear, we have intensively prepared everything to be ready with the necessary sanctions if there is military aggression against Ukraine.

“There won’t be any measures in which we have a differing approach. We will act together. We are absolutely united.”

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