Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel continues shaping European politics three years after leaving office, with explosive revelations from her memoir Freedom: Memories 1954-2021 sparking global debate about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Germany’s energy policies.
The Memoir That Shook Europe
Released in November 2024, Merkel’s 736-page memoir confirms she anticipated Vladimir Putin’s aggressive trajectory as early as September 2021, stating negotiations through the Normandy Format had collapsed months before tanks rolled into Ukraine. The book defends her controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline decisions while admitting “strategic miscalculations” about Russia’s willingness to weaponize energy supplies.
Legacy Under Fire
Merkel faces renewed scrutiny for Germany’s pre-war reliance on Russian gas (55% of imports) and military downsizing during her 16-year tenure. Critics argue these policies left Europe vulnerable, though she maintains diplomacy prevented earlier conflict: “The war would have begun in 2008 at Ukraine’s military disadvantage”.
Current Political Clashes
In January 2025, Merkel publicly criticized CDU leader Friedrich Merz for collaborating with far-right AfD members to pass restrictive immigration measures – a stark rebuke to her successor. This intervention marks her most direct engagement with domestic politics since leaving office.
Global Energy Fallout
Germany’s accelerated phaseout of nuclear plants under Merkel’s Energiewende policy remains contentious amid ongoing energy crises. European analysts estimate renewable infrastructure gaps costing €34 billion annually through 2030.
Diplomatic Reckoning
While Ukrainian President Zelenskyy blames Merkel’s 2008 NATO veto for enabling Russian aggression, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently acknowledged her “critical role in maintaining transatlantic unity during hybrid warfare threats.”
