If you want to control your enemy and want to know about his plans, just embrace him. So, to have Russia as an EU member would have offered huge opportunities for the economy of both. And as a member of NATO we would have known about Putin's"war" plans or restitution of Greater Russia. Spilled beans now. NATO nowadays has not only one enemy. And this was avoidable. The Americans were not amused by a strong Europe and a very strong Germany. Therefore they denied the membership.
(2 years ago the Gas Pipeline was successfully damaged because Germany's economy was too strong as Germany being a competitor and rival for US)
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