German Author Katja Gloger Criticises Decades of Berlin Policy Towards Vladimir Putin as Illusory

Key Points

• Policy Based on Illusions: German journalist and biographer Katja Gloger stated on TVP World that Germany’s decades-long policy towards Russia, known as “change through trade” (Wandel durch Handel), was fundamentally flawed and based on wishful political thinking.
• Continuity Across Chancellorships: Gloger highlighted that the strategic approach originated through personal rapport under former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and was subsequently maintained for 16 years by Chancellor Angela Merkel, despite explicit intelligence warnings.
• Early Putin Perception: Gloger, who shadowed Vladimir Putin in the early 2000s, noted that the Russian leader effectively used public relations to portray himself as a democratic reformer while simultaneously maintaining overt Soviet nostalgia and KGB ties.
• Ignored Intelligence Warnings: According to Gloger and co-author Georg Mascolo, German intelligence agencies provided serious early warnings regarding Putin’s intentions, but political leaders prioritized a “modernization partnership.”
• Systemic Paradigm Shift: The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 served as a severe shock that abruptly dissolved long-held political assumptions across the German establishment.

Mosco (Mosco News Daily) October 21, 2026 – German foreign policy towards Moscow across successive administrations was rooted in “wishful thinking” and political illusions that ignored repeated warnings from state intelligence services, according to prominent German journalist and Putin biographer Katja Gloger. Speaking during an interview on TVP World, Gloger explained how Berlin’s long-standing doctrine of “change through trade” (Wandel durch Handel) persisted across the chancellorships of Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel before collapsing with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

What Did Katja Gloger Reveal About Germany’s Historical Strategy Towards Vladimir Putin?

As reported by TVP World interviewer Adam Jasser during the programme On the Record, Katja Gloger—a veteran German journalist who covered Russia for Stern magazine for over three decades—offered a critical evaluation of Berlin’s political trajectory regarding Moscow. Gloger, who was among the first Western correspondents to interview and closely shadow Russian President Vladimir Putin in the early 2000s, based her analysis on decades of reporting and research co-authored with German investigative journalist Georg Mascolo for their investigative book titled The Failure.

Reflecting on her early interactions with the Russian leader nearly a quarter of a century ago, Gloger explained that a broad cross-section of the German political establishment fell into the illusion that Putin was a progressive reformer. As reported by Adam Jasser of TVP World, Gloger stated that many in Germany believed Putin was “a man who really wanted to… put his country on a democratic track” by attempting to learn from “good examples” such as Germany.

Gloger noted that Putin demonstrated exceptional skill in managing public relations during his initial years in power, actively inviting German journalists in an effort to “present himself… as someone who really wanted to integrate into the West.” However, Gloger stressed that this public image stood in direct contrast to known facts, pointing out that “everyone knew he was an ex-KGB guy based in East Germany who did not hide his nostalgia for the Soviet Union.”

Why Were German Intelligence Warnings Ignored by Political Leaders?

According to Gloger, the commitment to building a economic and political partnership with Moscow persisted despite clear alerts from Germany’s national security framework. As reported by Adam Jasser of TVP World, Gloger acknowledged that there were “serious warnings” from German intelligence services regarding the trajectory of the Russian regime.

Despite these security assessments, Gloger explained that “the political decision was made to try to establish a friendly and long-lasting, stable relationship [with] Putin’s Russia.” She traced the policy’s origins to the personal friendship between former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Putin, noting that the approach was subsequently pursued uninterrupted by Chancellor Angela Merkel throughout her 16 years in office.

Gloger characterized this diplomatic continuity as being fueled by systemic self-deception within Berlin. As reported by TVP World, Gloger described this as “wishful thinking that with our concept of the so-called modernization partnership that through economical relationship and through ‘change through trade’… you can contribute to change, to more rule of law, to more participation of the citizens, and that then, by time, reforms might be even possible.”

How Did the 2022 Invasion of Ukraine Shift German Public Perception?

The decades-long reliance on economic interdependence as a instrument of security policy came to an abrupt end in early 2022. As reported by TVP World, Gloger stated that the geopolitical assumptions underpinning German foreign policy collapsed following Russia’s military offensive.

Describing the psychological and political impact across Germany, Gloger remarked: “I think the shock and horror of February 24th, ‘22 was really big and it changed the perception of Putin and Russia, especially of Vladimir Putin, for the majority of the country almost overnight.”

The shift forced a historic re-evaluation of German energy dependency, defense spending, and Eastern European diplomacy, dismantling the foundational premises that had governed German-Russian relations since the end of the Cold War.

Background of the Particular Development

The concept of Wandel durch Handel (change through trade) served as a cornerstone of German foreign policy for decades, evolving from the Ostpolitik strategies of the 1970s. Under Gerhard Schröder, who served as German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, Berlin deepened its economic integration with Moscow, most notably through major energy projects such as the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Following his tenure in office, Schröder assumed high-ranking commercial roles in Russian state-owned energy corporations, including Rosneft and Nord Stream AG.

When Angela Merkel succeeded Schröder in 2005, her government maintained the core economic tenets of the partnership despite growing political tensions, including the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the 2014 annexation of Crimea. While Merkel imposed selective European Union sanctions following the Crimean annexation, her administration simultaneously supported the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. It was only following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that current Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a Zeitenwende—a historic watershed moment marking a formal end to the Wandel durch Handel doctrine and prompting a total realignment of German national defense and energy policies.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect German Policymakers and European Security Alliances

The ongoing historical re-assessment articulated by biographers like Katja Gloger carries direct implications for several key groups within the international political landscape:

• For German Foreign Policy Strategists and Lawmakers: The public dismantle of the Wandel durch Handel doctrine ensures that future German diplomatic frameworks will prioritize strategic deterrence and hard defense capabilities over commercial interdependence. Policymakers will face continued institutional pressure to integrate intelligence warnings directly into trade and foreign policy decisions, preventing over-reliance on single foreign suppliers for critical energy or raw materials.
• For Central and Eastern European NATO Allies: Authoritative admissions of past policy failures by prominent German intellectuals validate long-standing warnings issued by Baltic and Polish diplomats. This shift fosters stronger alignment within NATO’s eastern flank, encouraging Germany to maintain a permanent military presence in the region and take a more assertive leadership role in European security architecture.
• For the German Electorate and Public Debate: The retrospective analysis of the Merkel and Schröder eras will continue to shape domestic political discourse regarding national security, defense spending, and energy transition costs. Voters and civic groups will likely demand greater transparency regarding executive foreign policy decisions and closer oversight of state intelligence evaluations.