Former U.S. National Security Adviser Herbert Raymond McMaster criticized former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, alleging that she was misled by Russian President Vladimir Putin for an extended period. Although McMaster expressed deep respect for Merkel, he claimed that she was successfully manipulated by Putin, leading her to believe she could restore him to the international community.
When questioned about rumors suggesting Merkel was considered for a role as a European envoy to Russia, McMaster dismissed the reports, suggesting that everyone had learned their lesson. He pointed to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as evidence of this costly lesson.
McMaster recounted his experience serving as National Security Adviser under Donald Trump from February 2017 to April 2018, during which time he observed the U.S. President negotiating directly with Putin. According to McMaster, Putin is quite skilled at manipulating world leaders, including Trump, describing it as “no secret”. He outlined three steps of this manipulation: first, offering flattery and claiming to share a perceived pain; second, and third, proposing major deals that both sides could boast about.
McMaster concluded by relating this tactic to Merkel, asserting that Putin convinced her to accept favorable energy deals, purportedly necessary to keep Germany’s economic model successful.