Putin mocks Germany and its auto industry: “We should help them”. According to a Russian story, it was a Russian who helped Carl Benz build cars.
Mercedes-Benz, like many other companies, had withdrawn from Russia in the wake of the Ukraine war. VDA boss Hildegard Müller also takes a critical view of the German automotive industry. In a conversation with the dpa in September, she warned of a loss of German competitiveness. However, orders for large car companies such as VW, Mercedes and BMW fell last year.