Germany Loses Patience with America, Edges towards Russia

Beneath the surface warmth the US and Germany have an uneasy relationship whilst German feelings towards Russia are becoming more positive. 

Relations with the US soured badly this summer following revelations of NSA spying in Germany. Things got worse when a German intelligence officer was arrested for spying for the US. This resulted in Angela Merkel's government asking the top representative of the US's secret services in Germany to leave.

In a recent poll, only 35% of Germans said the US could be trusted. 

Anger with the US in Germany is now hardening.  Leading German politicians have started calling for a review of negotiations with Washington over a transatlantic free-trade agreement between the EU and the US. The German anger towards the US has even spilled over into football.  During the USA-Germany match at the World Cup in Brazil US fans chanted “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”.  German fans countered with chants of “N-S-A! N-S-A! N-S-A!”

By contrast Germans are becoming more sympathetic to Russia.    Supporters of a more balanced policy between the US and Russia are in a resurgent mood.  The AfD, which calls for a more balanced relationship, is rapidly gaining ground.  Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt said that it was "entirely understandable" that President Putin would take back Crimea. The German business community has made known its desire for good relations with Moscow.  Sanctions against Russia have caused business confidence to fall.