Rainer Lindner: "Everyone except for China is losing from the conflict in Ukraine"By Orhan Sattarov, the head of the European Bureau of Vestnik KavkazaThe head of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy, Rainer Lindner, gave a speech at a symposium which took place on February 26 in Berlin. The symposium was dedicated to security and stability in the South Caucasus. In his speech, the economist spoke about the conflict in Ukraine, among other issues."What we are seeing now in Ukraine - and there should be no illusions in this regard - is yet another frozen conflict. And I'm afraid that this conflict, just like many other similar conflicts, in fact, will not stay frozen and will retain a massive destructive potential for Russian-Ukrainian relations, as well as for relations between Russia and Europe," he said. He said there are serious concerns that Minsk-2 will cement the existing state of affairs in the east of Ukraine for years. In this situation the region will de facto cease to be part of the country. "It is about 20% of the GDP, about 4 or 5 million people and about divided families," Lindner said.According to him, the situation in Ukraine can be considered a belated consequence of the collapse of the Soviet Union.The head of the Eastern Committee presented new economic data, which clearly demonstrated how the mutual impact of the EU and Russian sanctions and the Ukrainian crisis have negatively affected the trade turnover in Germany, hitting German manufacturers. For example, in 2014 the trade turnover between Germany and Russia decreased by 20%, between Germany and Ukraine it decreased by 35%. The decrease resulted in the failure to export goods worth about 10 billion euros.According to Rainer Lindner, in 2014 Germany lost 60 thousand jobs due to Russia. About 100 German companies curtailed their activities in the Russian Federation. "In the end, everyone except for China is losing, since their industry immediately fills niches which have opened up after the German companies had left," Lindner concluded.
By Orhan Sattarov, the head of the European Bureau of Vestnik Kavkaza
The head of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy, Rainer Lindner, gave a speech at a symposium which took place on February 26 in Berlin. The symposium was dedicated to security and stability in the South Caucasus. In his speech, the economist spoke about the conflict in Ukraine, among other issues.
"What we are seeing now in Ukraine - and there should be no illusions in this regard - is yet another frozen conflict. And I'm afraid that this conflict, just like many other similar conflicts, in fact, will not stay frozen and will retain a massive destructive potential for Russian-Ukrainian relations, as well as for relations between Russia and Europe," he said. He said there are serious concerns that Minsk-2 will cement the existing state of affairs in the east of Ukraine for years. In this situation the region will de facto cease to be part of the country. "It is about 20% of the GDP, about 4 or 5 million people and about divided families," Lindner said.According to him, the situation in Ukraine can be considered a belated consequence of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The head of the Eastern Committee presented new economic data, which clearly demonstrated how the mutual impact of the EU and Russian sanctions and the Ukrainian crisis have negatively affected the trade turnover in Germany, hitting German manufacturers. For example, in 2014 the trade turnover between Germany and Russia decreased by 20%, between Germany and Ukraine it decreased by 35%. The decrease resulted in the failure to export goods worth about 10 billion euros.
According to Rainer Lindner, in 2014 Germany lost 60 thousand jobs due to Russia. About 100 German companies curtailed their activities in the Russian Federation. "In the end, everyone except for China is losing, since their industry immediately fills niches which have opened up after the German companies had left," Lindner concluded.
