One of the most important stories in the ongoing confrontation between the West and Russia has been that of Western unity. Despite a wide array of different histories, interests and geography, the U.S. and the European Union have held together in a common response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s violation of Ukrainian territorial integrity and the larger threat it poses to the European security order. At the heart of this unity has been the German-American partnership. Berlin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have taken the lead in both shaping that response and negotiating with Putin. This solidarity has clearly surprised Putin, who has regarded the West as weak, decadent and divided.
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