Is the West sanctioning Russia or Germany?

In the strategic game of chess, would you sacrifice a rook for a pawn? It's a question that's been posed in the context of international politics, particularly in relation to the United States' handling of the situation between Germany and Ukraine. Some political analysts are questioning why the U. S. continues to risk the political and social stability of Germany, a key player in European peace and prosperity, for the sake of Ukraine. Initially, it may have appeared to the U. S. that the conflict in Ukraine presented an opportunity to destabilize the Russian economy and oust its leader, Vladimir Putin. However, this strategy seems to have backfired, causing more harm to Europe than to Russia. This issue was recently highlighted by German historian Tarik Cyril Amar in an article for Newsweek magazine. Amar argues that by aligning too closely with Washington and NATO in seeking a total victory for Ukraine, Germany's current leadership is inadvertently weakening their own country's economy and fracturing its long-standing peaceful domestic politics. This, in turn, is giving rise to extremism. Amar suggests that while it was initially assumed that Russia would be the first to buckle under the economic strain of the war over Ukraine, it now appears that Germany may be the one to stumble first. Germans are increasingly worried about their economy and are growing distrustful of their leaders, whom they perceive as favoring foreign interests. This is leading to a disillusionment with centrist values and methods, a situation that Amar describes as uncomfortably familiar. Amar also points out that Germany has shown a lack of interest in investigating who might be behind the sabotage of its Nord Stream pipelines, a key strategic infrastructure. If the U. S. or Ukraine were found to be responsible, it could potentially lead to a major conflict. However, German leaders seem reluctant to delve too deeply into the matter. This could lead ordinary German citizens to conclude that their leaders are sacrificing their own national interests for foreign ones. Economically, Germany is facing challenges. The International Monetary Fund predicts that most major economies will see growth this year, but not Germany. Its economy is expected to shrink, a situation exacerbated by its decision to reduce its dependence on China, its biggest trading partner, and Russia, its main energy supplier. This has led to a weakening of Germany's export-driven economy. Germany's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been particularly vocal in her criticism of China and Russia. This has led to a loss of support for traditional political parties in Germany and a rise in popularity for more extreme parties on both the left and the right. This shift in political dynamics is reminiscent of the Weimar period, a troubled time in Germany's history. Some observers suggest that the U. S. is inadvertently hurting itself and Germany by attempting to sanction Russia. They argue that the effort to save Ukraine by defeating Putin, which now seems increasingly unlikely, may be causing more harm than good.