I am not so sure this is the total picture:  https://www.fit4russland.com/geo-politik/833-egon-bahr-drei-briefe-und-ein-staatsgeheimnis I trust you are familiar with this? Consider this against the backdrop of the 4+1 negotations concerning the Wiedervereinigung. Somewhere deep within the answers given by Merkel in Der Bundestag, lies a secret: Bundesdeutscher called Germans, are still Reichsdeutscher. (I am not sure if that also is true for imports). Reichsdeutscher used to be only those who were not born in one of the Lands, or Landesdeutscher. Hitler ended that particularity.  Quite ironic given the fact that BGB specifically charges to denazify. But then again, it would also mean to do away with pregnancy leaf, payment, paid holidays, you name it.  At any rate, Germany today, or the Administration Company called Bundes Republik Deutschland is a vasal entity of the occupying forces.  I am still trying to pierce exactly the yield of the 4+1 negotiations, but I would tend to say, the reunion needed to secure the Oder/Neisse border and Germany had to be embedded into the EU. As with Germany's ascension to Nato in 57, Germany was " invited" to help out in Afghanistan. Do you remember the clear shudder that went through the populace? Military for defense purposes on foreign soil? After 2 world wars?  Given the move to less direct supervision, but a more relaxed one, meaning, Germany was now able to forge it's own path, of course in consultation and agreement with France, UK, Bla bla ... So, I think this is the next move in a very long story of occupation.  This has a different backdrop: energy security.  First, Ukraine. Ukraine used to be THE throughput country. It was screaming for money, and turned the screw on the EU to force aid to exploit their own resources in Crimea and West Ukraine, all the while Kholomoisky was plundering the country. East Ukraine was stirred up. Russia moves into Crimea, depriving the Ukraine of 50% of it' s natural resources, plus the Donestsk region is a major manufactoring and resource area. Auch, that hurt.  Enter the EU association treaty. For that to happen, the Russia friendly president had to go. That is the entree to Maidan. Remember that EU politicians Van Balen en Timmermans were cheerleaders for the color revolution, induced by Soros' Open Society Foundation.  Say for arguments sake, the EU had pulled it of. It would have meant a very quick integration of Ukraine into EU, making the energy resources readily available, mainly for Germany.  So, Obama and Biden, and their friends Ciaramella and Kholomoisky came up with a plan. While they were plotting it, the Dutch, in a referendum shot down the association treaty, forcing the dutch government by law to veto it. That could not stand, so the dutch gov played long. But because of East Ukraine, and not to make things worse, EU did not want to lay sanctions on Russia. Then MH-17 happened. Kholomoisky, I suspect, shot that buck rocket, obeying orders from Obama.  This would put tension into the Ukraine association, and US moved into Ukraine. Biden on Burisma.  Nordstream come online. Russia is happy, as Ukraine is no longer a parasite on earnings. Germany is happy as uninterrupted flow of natural gas is secured, especially after the Energiewende was declared a failure, yet nuclear was shut down to appease the Roten/ Gruenen alliance.  Next phase: EAST Mediterranean :  The Qatr solution lead to the Syrian war, because Assad said no to a pipeline circumventing Iran.  However, for Turkey, the Syrian war was a gold mine. for a couple of reasons. It could extort the EU for more money due to refugees. and two: it could simply obtain the Syrian oil against a premium. Erdogan's son made sure of that.  Leviathan fields Because of Cyprus and Greece being part of the EU, the exclusive economic Zone of the EU comprises a large chunck of this treasure. Of course, Lebanon has a part, Israel, Gaza and Egypt too.  However, Turkey is not part of that equation. The problem is Cyprus. Turkey occupies northern Cyprus illegally since 1975 or there abouts. It also illegally claims a part of that treasure.  On top there are tiny Greek Islands facing Turkey rights across from Alanya. So Turkey officially has no claim to leviathan.  Italy tried to start drilling, but was chased away by Turkey. US did nothing, signalling, it wants the EU not to have it's own energy independence.  And this gave Turkey the room to powerplay.  1. With Russia, and agree to become a bigger throughput country and serves South EU.  2. with Libya in order to claim the major size of the cake in Leviathan. Question: why is Erdogan bent on keeping Turks in Germany under control?  So, this is the total of what I think is playing ...  enjoy.