That Time Angela Merkel Destroyed Putin's Machismo
So they work together often - although not always smoothly.
"When Putin and Merkel meet, they sometimes speak in German (he's better in her language than she is in his), and Putin corrects his own interpreter to let Merkel know that nothing is lost on him," George Packer of The New Yorker writes in profile of Merkel. "Putin's brand of macho elicits in Merkel a kind of scientific empathy."
Recently, Merkel has come down hard on Putin's ongoing aggression against Ukraine. And the profile shows how tensions between the two leaders have been brewing for several years.
During discussions about energy supplies at Putin's home in Sochi back in 2007, the Russian President called his black lab, Koni, into the room with Merkel. From The New Yorker (emphasis ours):
As the dog approached and sniffed her, Merkel froze, visibly frightened. She'd been bitten once, in 1995, and her fear of dogs couldn't have escaped Putin, who sat back and enjoyed the moment, legs spread wide. "I'm sure it will behave itself," he said. Merkel had the presence of mind to reply, in Russian, "It doesn't eat journalists, after all." ...
Later, Merkel interpreted Putin's behavior. "I understand why he has to do this-to prove he's a man," she told a group of reporters. "He's afraid of his own weakness. Russia has nothing, no successful politics or economy. All they have is this."
The Kremlin has used animals to antagonize world leaders before. Putin once played the "my dog is bigger than your dog" game with then-president George Bush. The incident actually served as inspiration for one of Bush's strange paintings.
Even more recently, Russia's deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, tweeted a picture of President Obama, holding a white poodle juxtaposed with Putin petting a leopard. "We have different values and allies," the tweet read.
The Russian President, who filmed his own instructional jiu-jitsu video, makes no secret of his physical prowess. Through various propaganda events portraying his manliness, Putin markets himself as a tough guy running an even tougher country.
No wonder Merkel, considered the most powerful woman in the world, wanted to cut him down to size.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- Catan adds climate change to the latest edition of the world-famous board game
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- JNK India IPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more
- Indian Army unveils selfie point at Hombotingla Pass ahead of 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market