The Obama administration is at risk of alienating two allies, Germany and France, that it needs to help contain Russia's territorial push into Ukraine, an investment economist told
Newsmax TV on Monday.
Between
spying on Germany and
fining a major French bank $9 billion, the U.S. is causing "enormous resentment" among allies that themselves have strong economic ties to Russia, John Browne, senior economic consultant to Connecticut-based Euro Pacific Capital, told "MidPoint" host Ed Berliner.
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Browne said strained relations with Germany are of particular worry because "Germany is the key swing power in the power struggle that is going on in the world now."
Browne also said President Barack Obama has misread Russian President Vladimir Putin's interest in wresting the Crimea region away from Ukraine.
He said Crimea is "of vital interest" to Russia, "just as Cuba was a vital interest to the United States under [President John F.] Kennedy."
He said the downing of a passenger jet over Ukranian territory held by pro-Russia separatists is an "embarassment" for Putin but not necessarily a deterrent to his efforts to rebuild a Russian empire.
"This is a man of considerable stature," said Browne. "He has enormous support within the … former Soviet Union, and it would be a big mistake to underestimate him."
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