Dusseldorf During his first official visit to the United States, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is trying, together with US President Joe Biden, to emphasize German-American friendship and united action in the Ukraine crisis. Both politicians seem to agree: Russia must fear far-reaching consequences if it invades Ukraine.
Scholz has recently come under criticism in the US media for his passivity and reserved policy towards Russia. The state visit was therefore primarily intended to clear up American doubts about Germany’s loyalty to the alliance.
However, the Chancellor failed to make any clear statements to the press for or against the completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Moritz Koch, head of the Handelsblatt office in Brussels, explains what is forcing the federal government to exercise this restraint and how Germany could position itself in the conflict.
Also: The long-standing policy of low interest rates has made investing in a home or real estate attractive as a capital investment. This is also reflected in the price development in almost all cities in Germany. However, state funding for energy-efficient new buildings has been stopped for the time being, and no new applications for funding can be submitted to the state development bank KfW.
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Handelsblatt real estate expert Carsten Herz knows whether this is slowing down the boom in the industry or whether the rally will continue and what potential buyers should pay attention to in the coming period.
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