The Russians are ones to stick a finger in the eye of their friends whenever it suits them. That is usually not a very good thing to do and tends to reduce the number of leaders still taking your phone calls. Last Wednesday, Bavaria’s governor Horst Seehofer went to visit Vladimir Putin at Putin's residence outside Moscow. Putin does not receive very many governors, since he is a head of state, but this one has been criticizing German policies on Russian sanctions. Seehofer wants to see them go away, and the national government wants to keep them. Ruth Bender's story in the Wall Street Journal puts this in perspective. [http://www.wsj.com/articles/merkels-bavarian-critic-meets-putin-to-discuss-migrants-sanctions-1454520027]
It is not unlike the Russians to interfere with the politics of another country. They did try to put money into defeating Ronald Reagan, but he still won. They want to meddle. Fine. This move is not very smart since it openly slaps Angela Merkel who was one of the staunchest supporters of Russia during the Crimea takeover and the Ukraine incursions. It is narrow minded, petty, and something the German leader is not going to forget easily.
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