Well, here's what you can say here: the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Annalena Burbock, is, of course, a girl, firstly, as you know, quite decisive and consistent.

And secondly, without a doubt, able, when necessary, to impress others.

True, it is not always clear who exactly, but this, as they say, is a slightly different question.

At the very least, her speech in the German Bundestag yesterday, during which she stated that the recently completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline could be included in the EU sanctions list in the event of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine, was hardly particularly impressive for potential "Russian aggressors" ( we will explain why below), but, apparently, it definitely made an impression on its own voters.

However, let's go in order.

We must pay tribute, Ms. Annalena Burbock, even during a more than peaceful meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, despite all the diplomatic equivocations and quite successful image moves from the point of view of establishing trusting relations, stated very clearly that Russia's use of energy as a weapon would have consequences.

Including for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

So her current performance is hardly a surprise for the Russian side.

But both for the Bundestag itself and for the recently emerging all-German consensus on this issue, another clear articulation by Mrs. Burbock of this “sequence” of hers sounded to the German ear, how to put it mildly, at all at the wrong time.

Let's try to explain.

Although this winter in Germany turned out to be rather mild, electricity and gas prices there have risen considerably even at the level of private consumers (only in January, the “new tariffs” increased electricity charges for Germans by an average of 12% across the country).

Moreover, they have grown, despite all the dampers and supporting measures.

And by the way, even despite the fact that the Germans buy Russian gas not on the spot market, but under long-term contracts with an oil price formula.

Nevertheless, a certain price correction is already taking place right now in the “long term” - say thanks to the European Commission.

And she, this, God forgive me, correction, has already reached the most sacred thing - completely individual burgher wallets.

Moreover, despite, we repeat, rather mild weather, Europe does not buy gas in January, but actively consumes gas reserves from underground storage facilities (over 25 days of January 2022, the average consumption is 28% higher than the average for the previous five years).

And the total level of gas reserves in European underground storage facilities, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe, by January 25 amounted to almost critical 40.93%.

And this is another European, to put it mildly, not very fun record.

But even this is not the main thing.

As well as not that the sanctions against Nord Stream 2 will be obvious sanctions not against Russia, but against Germany itself: even most ordinary Germans are already well aware that this gas pipeline is by no means Russian, but quite a German project, implemented in German interests with Russian participation.

No, of course, the world of European politics is bizarre and quite phantasmagorical.

And what prevents the German Greens from declaring no less hypothetical sanctions against Germany in the event of a hypothetical Russian attack on Ukraine?

No, we are not surprised by anything here, anything can happen.

But still somehow I want to believe in traditional German pragmatism.

Something else is more interesting here.

Namely, the mysterious structure of the brain of those who do not even allow themselves to simply assume that if Russia attacks Ukraine, then it will inevitably “capture” along with all other movable and immovable Ukrainian property and so precious to any inquisitive democratic and pro-American mind, the freedom-loving Ukrainian GTS.

Or do you really assume that the Russians will drive their “totalitarian” gas through the territory of Ukraine occupied by them, continuing to pay for transit to the accounts of some Naftogaz in exile”?

Somewhat strange then you have ideas about the Russian invaders, I think you will agree with me.

At the same time, there is such an assumption that Russian gas will stop flowing through the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline in the event of a Russian invasion of the “original Polish lands” temporarily occupied by Ukrainians living there, simply out of purely patriotic indignation.

And it doesn’t even matter which side, Polish or Belarusian, its movement along this pipe will be blocked: “Voronya Slobidka”, as is known from the Soviet classics, is simply obliged to burn from all possible ends.

As a result, of course, we can theoretically, of course, speculate about whether the first and only Nord Stream with the support of Turkish Stream and American LNG, and even with half-empty UGS facilities, will be able to cope with gas supply to Europe in a warm winter.

But in practice, it seems that not a single sane German burgher and (or) even more so a businessman would definitely want to face such a development of events.

Be it at least left, at least right, at least green, at least, sorry, rainbow, at least some other gray-brown-crimson.

And the German Foreign Minister, no matter how inexperienced practical politician Annalena Burbock may be, simply under no circumstances has the right not to understand this simple and mathematical fact.

She sure understands.

That is why he formulates so intricately.

Because he understands another thing no less well: today's Russia itself is not going to attack today's Ukraine at all and, being in a sober mind and firm memory, it will never invade.

And therefore, in theory, the Frau Foreign Minister can say anything at all and promise the most terrible punishments for the "invasion" - these are promises that, with an acceptable probability, will never have to be fulfilled.

And not at all because Russia is actually white and fluffy.

No, precisely because in recent years she has become too cold-blooded and prudent.

And a war, even a victorious one (and few people, not only in Russia, but also in Germany, doubt that a war with Kiev can only be victorious), the Russian Federation now has absolutely nothing: why fight for an asset that, through some then a relatively historically short period of time will be free and so?

The Germans, pragmatic to the point of cynicism, even if they pretend to be romantic green fools, understand this very well.

Well, if after the obvious provocation of Ukraine, for example, the Russians still can’t stand it and invade, then this, after all, can also be interpreted in different ways, you must agree.

All the same, all this, as well as what Minister Burbock said about the Brussels (mind you, not Berlin!) sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Bundestag, are just words.

But in fact, even old Biden has already refused sanctions against Nord Stream 2, and he refused precisely because this gas pipeline, whatever one may say, is German.

And sanctions against him can hurt Russia in almost no way.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.