Ad Nauseam

Ad Nauseam-- is a Latin term for argument or other discussion that has continued 'to [the point of] nausea'. Evidently Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has no idea when to stop with his appeals to Russia to consider herself a part of a deceased G-8. I wrote about this on several occasions but for Germany's Ministry Of Foreign Affairs I will reiterate a number of the key points which may (I kid, I kid) help this Ministry and its head stop bothering people to the point of nausea, since Steinmeier seems to be fixated on this whole G-8 "business". Here is what Kremlin responded to this yet another G-8 overture by Steinmeier:

The G-20 Format Is More Objective Than G-8. 

 
Now to "reading my lips"(c):

1. Germany, who, together with the US, was a main enabler of the atrocity in Ukraine, fails to understand that there is not going to be business as usual with Russia. It seems that last 2.5 years should serve as a great indicator of that. But no, somehow EU political elite fails to recognize it. They should take a cue from the US "elites" who went full "Cold War 2.0" retard, despite a real health hazard for them:

        

but at least they are consistent. If Germany's ruling class doesn't understand the risks and hazards associated with trying to sit simultaneously on several chairs--well, too bad. But now to a more serious reasons.

2. G7 is not really G7, it is G1+6. Peskov, whom I don't like, is actually correct--it is a club of American vassals who have no political subjectivity.  Germany, certainly, doesn't have any--it is a declining nation and today it is totally subservient to the US. In general, any statements by German politicians have no real political weight. For Russia, however, G-7 (or 8) doesn't have any political weight either since having herself as a part of G8 or otherwise makes no difference for Russia whatsoever. As they say in Russia: umerla tak umerla (if it is dead, let it stay dead). Indeed--what's the point? Yes, trade with Germany is a good idea, but after Germany's about-face in 2014 with MTU and other projects, when Russia suddenly was left without some key technological components, such as ships' power-plant (thankfully), who in their own mind in Moscow will make any deals with Germany on something that really matters for Russia? Well, there is a specific strata of Russian population (about 0.1 to 0.2%) known as Moscow's so called liberal "intellectuals", such as German Gref or Mr. Kudrin, who would gladly reduce Russia to the raw materials' appendage to the "West", but thankfully the winds blow in a very different direction today. 

Not only Russia successfully substitutes those German imports with own production, but in reality the imports from Germany should be reduced to things of mostly consumer nature--such as cars, consumer goods such as some food, shoes, clothes, may be some home electric devices and consumer electronics. The rest, including a serious German presence in Russia's machine building sector, has to be completely eliminated. It is happening as I am typing this. The same should apply to the rest of Europe. Great examples of such approach are design and manufacturing policies for MC-21 commercial jet, which is highly localized and even when using foreign parts and aggregates (such as Israeli avionics) it still has its ready Russian-made analogues. Same goes to such project as PD-14 jet engine which is completely Russian-designed and manufactured, the same could be said about Russian-made processors or displays for IR and night vision used in Russia's weapon systems--the list is too great to discuss it in this post. Russia producing her own MRI or CT Scanners or CNC machining centers based on Russian made Baikal processors are not a very good news for Siemens (among many) and that should stay this way.  If Europe in general, and Germany in particular, want to have serious business with Russia--they better first coordinate their desires with their master. In general, Russia doesn't negotiate seriously with non-sovereign actors and the times of economic "globalization" and post-industrial delusion, when industrial and technological, together with national, sovereignty was a trade commodity are over. Any contender for a global player status, in order to be treated as such, has to bring to negotiating table a powerful industrial economy, mighty military, scientific and educational schools and much much more in addition to it. 

3. Russia can and is dealing with G-7s big honcho directly. She doesn't need G-7 or G-8 for that. What can possibly G-7 add to a strategic, however dysfunctional and strained, Russian-American discussion? What are the benefits for Germany (or other G-7 members) of having Russia in this less and less exclusive debate (or rather taking notes from master) club? I don't see any benefits. G-7 is the economic equivalent of NATO, which brings us to the square one--Russia speaks with NATO's main actor directly and does not need Germany or France to mediate anything. Slaves do not mediate--they do the will of an owner. Russia's insistence on G-20 format as a more legitimate and, yes, democratic economic club is based in reality. Indeed, the PPP GDP of just 3 members of BRICS--Russia, India and China--is about 33 billion dollars, EU's PPP GDP is about 20. The immediate question comes to mind--where Russia's exports, which, unlike a favorite meme by Russia's "experts" about gas and oil being only Russia's exports, consists of a wide variety of hi-tech products, from state-of-the-art weapons to complex machines and software, has a better chance of being in demand? Of course not in EU or USA, albeit even there Russian expertise and technology are needed. Yet, Russian technology and expertise are in high demand globally elsewhere other than G-7 realm and it is only natural that economically Russia would gravitate more towards G20-G7=G13 and others. At this stage Russia is in the process of carrying out several major national projects: from expanding Vostochnyi Cosmodrome to expanding Zvezda Shipyard at the Far East, thus making it capable of building large (up to 250 000 tons) commercial vessels, to becoming one of the major participants of the New Silk Road. A lot of things are happening in Russia whose REAL economy, which is industry, left recession and which are of great interest to Europeans. But before Europe tries to build equal and truly mutually-beneficial economic relations with Russia, let Europeans deal with their own subservient position vis-a-vis their master across the pond but I wouldn't hold my breath for it. EU is bound to collapse for a number of economic, geopolitical and socio-cultural reasons and in this case Russia makes a very correct decision by ignoring treacherous, rotten to the core and useless, other than a prestigious facade, G-7, even despite Steinmeier's calls to reconsider. The calls which by now can only create an urge to blow chunks. In this case the quote from American so called "diplomat" seems quite appropriate: Fuck the EU (c).