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PIPELINE TO VLADIMIR PUTIN THAT
THE MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE
DOESN'T.
>> Reporter: IT'S NO SECRET
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S STRAINED
RELATIONSHIP WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN
ISN'T HELPING IN THIS CRISIS.
WHO CAN SOLVE IT?
MAYBE THE TOIK DAUGHTER OF A
PASTOR, GERMAN'S CHANCELLOR,
ANGELA MERKEL.
>> VLADIMIR PUTIN KNOWS FROM
EXPERIENCE THAT THE HAST ENEMY
HE WANTS RIGHT NOW IN EUROPE IS
GERMANY.
>> Reporter: GERMANY HAS HUGE
ECONOMIC LEVERAGE OVER PUTIN.
T BUYS MORE AN TA THIRD OF ITS
NATURAL GAS FROM RUSSIA, EXPORTS
TECHNOLOGY AND CARS TO RUSSIA.
ANALYSTS SAY WHAT MAKES HER SO
CRUCIAL IN THIS CRISIS IS SHE
HAS SOMETHING THAT OBAMA
DOESN'T -- A PERSONAL CONNECTION
WITH RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT.
>> THEY HAVE A LOT OF
CONNECTIVITY BECAUSE PUTIN
SPEAKS FLUENT GERMAN AND MERKEL
SPEAKS RUSSIAN.
>> Reporter: SHE GREW UP IN EAST
GERMANY UNDER THE COMMUNIST
SYSTEM DOMINATE FWID SOVIETS.
PUTIN WAS A KGB OFFICER WHO
SERVED IN EAST GERMANY.
ANALYSTS SAY THEY UNDERSTAND
EACH OTHER'S POLITICAL DNA.
A GERMAN OFFICIAL TOLD US THEY
ARE NOT FRIENDS.
AFTER A RECENT PHONE CALL ON
UKRAINE SHE REPORTEDLY SAID
PUTIN IS, QUOTE, IN ANOTHER
WORLD.
BUT SHE HAS A SAVP VI AND
TOUGHNESS HE RESPECTS.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO PUTIN BROUGHT
A LARGE DOG TO A MEETING WITH
MERKEL APPARENTLY WANTING TO
TEST HER, KNOWING SHE HAS A FEAR
OF DOGS.
SHE WAS TERRIFIED, SAYS AN
ANALYST, BUT DIDN'T FLINCH.
HAY THAI NEGOTIATED MORE THAN AN
HOUR.
>> SHE DID NOT BLINK BECAUSE SHE
UNDERSTANDS THE RUSSIAN
MIND-SET.
SHE KNOWS THE RUSSIANS AND IN
THIS CASE VLADIMIR PUTIN WANTED
TO PLAY RUSSIAN CHESS WITH HER,
WHICH MEANS THE PERSON WHO
BLINKS THE FIRST HAS LOST.
MERKEL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH
PRESIDENT OBAMA RECENTLY BECAME
STRAINED WITH REPORTS THE NSA
TAPPED HER CELL PHONE.
BUT ANALYSTS SAY IT'S HER
CREDIBILITY WITH BOTH THE WHITE
HOUSE AND THE KREMLIN THAT'S
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE.
>> I THINK SHE'S PROBABLY MORE
WILLING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TO