Germany Accused of Secret Trade with Russia, Undermining EU Sanctions

Germany Accused of Secret Trade with Russia

Germany has been accused of being a major player in secret trade with Russia, using Putin-friendly countries as intermediaries to export goods to Moscow. This comes despite the European Union's imposition of sanctions on Russia in an attempt to undermine its war in Ukraine.

While there is no direct evidence of German companies violating sanctions, a significant increase in trade with countries closely aligned with Moscow has been observed since the war began in February 2022. This has led to accusations that Germany is allowing "grey" trade to continue unabated.

Robin Brooks, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, expressed his disappointment with Germany's actions. He stated that Germany, of all countries, should have been a moral leader after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Instead, he claims, Germany is leading the way in trans-shipments of Western goods to Russia via countries like Georgia.

Brooks provided a graph showing a substantial spike in German trade with Georgia following the invasion. The data reveals that German exports to Georgia tripled from $30 million in March 2022 to $120 million in August 2024. This remarkable growth in exports has raised concerns about Germany's commitment to the sanctions regime.

However, Brooks notes that Germany is not alone in this trend. He observes that all EU countries are increasing their exports to Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Turkey, which are seen as potential backdoors for goods to reach Russia. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the sanctions and the EU's overall commitment to holding Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine.