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The SPD's Peter Steinbruck's criticism of Merkel's handling of the eurozone crisis. Speaking to the Bundestag Steinbruck said Merkel had wasted time and billions of dollars of taxpayers before committing to keep Greece in the eruozone. "You should have held this speech three years ago... Never has Germany been so isolated in Europe as it is today." He said Merkel was not being honest with Germans that to be part of Europe Germany had to take on some of the cost and that it was worth it. Instead she was riding the wave of negative opinion for the eurozone and at the same time trying to keep up Germany's influence in Brussels, creating a perception of a new kind of German "industrial imperialism." This comes as France's president Hollande expressed serious dissatisfaction with Merkel's handling of the eurozone crisis in an interview with reporters of 5 European newspapers in October 2012.

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The Ifo Institute monthly business confidence survey shows a reading of 104.7 for November, up from 103.2 in October 2014.

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Ulrich Speck says it is not enough for the EU to offer "association" and closer ties to Ukraine, it must offer membership as it has done for Slovakia, Slovenia and other Eastern European states. This would send a strong signal to investors and people inside Ukraine about the country's future. German Chancellor Merkel has to take the lead, says Speck. Germany has an important stake in the future of Ukraine. Long term economic assistance from the EU and an immediate lifeline from the IMF have to be part of this effort for a better future for Ukraine. He says Ukraine needs to breakaway from the leadership struggles and political deadlock since the Orange Revolution of 2004, and follow a path to economic progress set by other EU states.

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An IFO Institute Survey of German businessmen shows 43% think there would be a no-deal Brexit. Germany's Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, thinks a disorderly Brexit "would hit the German economy hard." Germany had a $48 billion surplus with the UK in 2017. Britain is Germany's fifth largest trading partner.

Interestingly German businessmen including Bernhard Matthes, the president of the German car manufacturers association, all of them do not want the German government to offer more concessions to Britain. Even though they say the no-deal Brexit would be profoundly damaging. When they sit down with Merkel they do not say they want a different approach. The priority they say is that the European Union member states stick together and not make concessions that would invite others to go that way.

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German president Scholz visits Japan with 6 members of his cabinet. He will hold the inaugural session of intergovernmental consultations the two countries plan to hold every year. Japan is keen to understand the German position on relations with China. Prof. Shigemura of Waseda University says prime minister Kishida want to get a first hand understanding of Germany's policy towards China and on the Ukraine situation. Shigemura says Japan is deeply worried that Germany and other countries still want to cooperate with China, despite the problems seen in the Indo-Pacific region. Germany is seen as not having taken the steps to change its economic relations with China after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has not drawn criticism from China.

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The relationship between the southerner finance minister Schauble, and chancellor Merkel from the former East Germany is close, with each depending on the other. The Greece crisis following the referendum, with Schauble's patience with Greece exhausted by July 9, 2015, is reflected in the words he used in February 2015 about the Greece bailout program "ich over", his southwest German accent version of "it's over." In the German parliament Schauble has described the Tsipras government's behaviour as "lacking any rhyme or reason," and Schauble's popularity rating in the ruling CDU party is higher than Merkel in 2015, at over 70%. Schauble is a key CDU member in bringing the CDU's conservative members behind Merkel. This also limits the room Merkel now has in negotiating some last minute deal on Greece before the expiry of the deadline of July 12, 2015. Merkel has also set a higher bar for the negotiation, and a multiyear deal making reforms a high priority. When Schauble says there is no "rhyme or reason" for Syriza party Tsipras's behaviour he may be referring to the EU giving in to Greece's key demand for a change in the surplus targets for 2014-2016. As economists including Krugman point out the surplus is what Greece transfers to its creditors, and additionally with the EU making transfers of about 5% of GNP to Greece according to Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff, aside from cuts to pensions as part of pension reforms to return a unsustainable pension system to sustainability, the Greeks had most of what they could expect at this time. The debt is basically being rolled over with EU loans helping pay what is now very low interest, making it an issue that could be tackled at a later stage, say economists, even though Syriza made it an overriding issue in the referendum. Both Schauble, Merkel, and the rest of the CDU, and many Social Democrats including their leader Sigmar Gabriel, find Syriza Tsipras's moves incomprehensible and damaging relations. German experts now see the Eurozone and the Euro currency better off for the future with a Grexit, which also limits what Merkel and Germany can now do....

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The US, Belgium and Italy oppose use of Russian assets in Belgium of $200 billion as collateral for loans to Ukraine. Ukraine is facing budget shortfall of $135 billion for the next 2 years 2026-2027. TheUk supports it use, and Germany and France are leaning in this direction with the EU's Leyen. US intention is to do this so that a peace settlement can be reached to end the war in Ukraine. Lack of trust between Western Europe and Russia threatens a breakdown in the efforts of the US for peaceful end to the war, leading instead of a settlement to increase in defense and armed forces of Germany and France at this point in December 2025.

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Annalena Baerbock is emerging as one of Germany's most popular leaders, winning overwhelming praise from all quarters in Germany including opposition CDU conservatives, says DW.com. She wins praise for her clarity and steadiness in a time of upheaval. After Olaf Scholz she is easily the most popular leader in Germany. As co-leader of the Greens with Habeck, she is Foreign Minister. Olaf Scholz also commended Baerbock for her work during the crisis in helping Germany rethink old policies under Merkel, in his speech to the German parliament.