DIPLOMATIE, KONFLIKTE & HANDELSBEZIEHUNGEN 

Schulterschluss üben/suchen; gute Beziehungen pflegen = government looks to forge/establish closer ties with neighboring/like-minded allies/countries; on many issues both presidents are standing shoulder to shoulder; the president’s coziness with his foreign counterpart was extremely evident; the foreign minister is buddies with his opposite number from the neighboring country; both presidents were chummy through the day; PM seeks to enter/have a cozy relationship/close association with the nation’s strongest ally; the country’s president is hand and glove with the visiting prime minister; at the state banquet diplomats of both countries rubbed shoulders/elbows with each other; the finance minister attempts to lock in/shore up/rally/gather/enlist/muster support of the business community for his ambitious investment program; the visiting minister sided /closed ranks with his counterpart on many issues; country signs up new allies in bid to counter/hedge against rogue countries' actions; nation attempts to find common purpose with other countries; it’s time to reset key diplomatic/political relationships; both heads of state touted/talked up/hailed the close ties between their countries; (nation) embraces (other nation) as a key trade partner 

zwei sehr unterschiedliche Außenminister/Minister üben einen seltsamen/merkwürdigen Schulterschluss/bilden eine Zweckgemeinschaft = two very contrasting foreign ministers make/are strange bedfellows/go to bed with each other; the alliance is a marriage of convenience, not affection; although they get along well these two ministers are an against-the-grain pairing; the performance/ conduct of the foreign minister is so bad that it has united strange bedfellows

zwischen beiden Staatsoberhäuptern sprang der Funke über = the two heads of state hit it off with each other quite well, in the process they realized they were kindred spirits

Regierung soll gut beraten sein, wenn es um diplomatische Beziehungen geht = the government should be well placed to/had better act prudently/tread carefully/exercise sound judgment when it comes to diplomatic relations 

um Vorteile zu erlangen, verhalten sich/kuschen manche Politiker wie eine Marionette/ein Schoßhund = certain politicians curry favor with/polish the apple with/suck up to superpowers’ key politicians so as to please them in order to gain some advantage; presidents of small countries are obsequious/behave like a stooge/pawn/poodle/lapdog/puppy/yesman toward a more powerful ally; the new labor minister is cozing up with/buddying up to the union bosses/honchos

Präsidenten/Diktatoren/Tyrannen von Schurkenstaaten/Nationen versuchen sehr oft, Staatsoberhäuptern einiger Supermächte anzubiedern/schmeicheln/zu umwerben = dictators/presidents/tyrants of rogue/pariah countries/nations very often try to cozy up to/ buddy up to/curry favor with/polish the apple with/play footsie with/butter up/cater to/court/cultivate/bootlick superpowers’ heads of state  

Schluss mit lustig/mit dem Schmusekurs = the honeymoon period/stage between the alliance partners is over; no more “make nice” with the other party; he days of cozying up/cuddling up to any autocrats/dictators/tyrants are definitely over;  opposition leader has no more need to play nice as he did through the national crisis when he fully supported the government actions; once the gloss is off their election win they will have to get down to business; it’s time to put an end to the lovey-dovey stuff with the opposition party; (nation) maintains hawkish stance on (other nation); “I am no more Mr. Nice Guy”, says the newly elected opposition leader  

bei den Gesprächen kommt man weiter = talks have yielded some progress/are moving forward

die Bilanz der Verhandlungen kann sich sehen lassen = government officials are making strides in/inroads into the negotiating process

beim Thema Freihandel suchen/proben beide Länder den Schulterschluss = regarding free trade the two countries are committed to being on the same page/siding with each other

beim Freihandelsabkommen lenkt Regierung ein = nation gives ground/caves in on the divisive issue of free trade

nach tagelangen, hitzigen Diskussionen haben sich alle Diplomaten zusammengerauft, und das Abkommen abgesegnet = after some lengthy heated discussions all diplomats were finally on the same page, paving the way for the agreement to be sanctioned; it took a few days until all meeting participants finally worked out/ironed out the details of the financial package 

unser Topunterhändler kann geschickt mit den kriegführenden Staaten verhandeln = our chief negotiator has the knack to interact between warring states/parties

junger Premierminister setzt ein Zeichen  = with his fresh and dynamic approach to politics the young prime minister stamped his authority/put a mark in the country’s new way of dealing with its neighbors

unser Land verfügt über erfahrene Diplomaten = the country’s seasoned diplomats possess the ability to build consensus; the nation’s UN-ambassador is regarded as one of the nation’s most insightful commentators

nun wird unser US-Botschafter nicht mehr stiefmütterlich behandelt = our US-ambassador went from doghouse to penthouse in the last months

infolge von Unterstützung während der Krise steht Land in der Schuld einer anderen Nation = country feels beholden/indebted to neighbor country for wide support during crisis

der Außenminister hat sich vorgenommen, die Bedeutung seines Landes auf der diplomatischen Weltbühne aufzuwerten = the Foreign Affairs Minister has stepped into the limelight to push the country’s diplomatic weight on the world stage

außenpolitische Experten starten eine Charmeoffensive = the nation’s foreign policy experts will have to do some diplomatic mending work/embark on a charm offensive/on a soft-shoe diplomacy campaign with some other countries; “we stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of your country”, the president said

das Nuklearabkommen auf den Weg zu bringen, war die Glanzleistung der ausscheidenden Kanzlerin = conclusion of the nuclear agreement against proliferation was the signature foreign policy achievement of the outgoing prime minister

der Atomwaffendisput wurde ad acta gelegt = the prospect of nuclear weapons was taken off the table

die Angelegenheit wurde im üblichen Geiste der freundschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit zwischen Ländern behandelt = the matter has been handled in the spirit of the usual cooperative partnership/friendship between countries 

auf seiner Reise nach Kuba hat der Papst von politischen Äußerungen abgesehen = on his visit to Cuba the pope steered clear of political statements

das war ein Kurzbesuch vom US-Präsident/von der Gattin des US-Präsidenten = that was a quick/lightning visit by the POTUS (President Of The US)/FLOTUS (First Lady Of The US)

die Beziehungen zwischen beiden/einigen Ländern sind derzeit angespannt = the ties between the two countries are strained/fraught as trade talks drag out/hit a rough patch/are at an impasse; relations with/between the neighboring countries are beginning to sour/are becoming frosty; there was just a little back-and-forth between the two warring parties on the trade front; the controversial stance on trade issues spells disaster/trouble ahead for relations; the president’s speech has undermined the relationships with its allies; the other country’s retaliation for the attack was a „tit for tat“/a “quid pro quod“/an in-kind response; some western countries talk up severe and swift economic sanctions for warring rogue/pariah nation;  right now the friendship/relationship between these two countries is on life support 

hoch-karätiges Gipfeltreffen zwischen den Supermächten wird vereinbart, um Spannungen zu entschärfen = high-stakes summit/ meeting between the superpowers will be scheduled to cool tensions 

Konflikt/Streit deeskalieren und Besonnenheit walten lassen = world leaders urge conflicting/warring countries to act with/use restraint in the wake/aftermath of the unprecedented attack/the crisis escalation; the United Nations attempted to dismiss/pour cold water on/ hose down the suggestion/notion of an imminent /a possible conflict; the scuffle/fight/conflict between the two religious groups has been successfully smoothed over/defused/unfreezed/ de-escalated; the minister’s off-the-cuff remark/outburst sparked outrage which wasn’t on the script, however a clean-up effort/language is already on the way 

Botschafter wird von Regierung des Gastlands zu Beratungen infolge mutmaßiger Einmischung seines Landes einbestellt = ambassador is summoned by host government for consultations over his country’s unwanted/alleged interference 

nach langjährigen angespannten/gestörten Beziehungen geloben die Präsidenten beider Länder, die Streitigkeiten/Differenzen der Vergangenheit hinter sich zu lassen = after a long history of strained/troubled links presidents of both countries vow to turn the page on past disputes; eventually/finally the two nations managed to patch up their long-standing differences; a meeting between the two heads of state ends long diplomatic deep freeze; the president hopes to use the meeting to further thaw relations with (other country) and to lay the groundwork for a state visit by the end of the year; both presidents tout the principles they both share as they herald a deepening alignment between the two nations   

infolge des andauernden politischen Streits droht die EU-Allianz zu bröckeln = threat of Europe breaking apart/crumbling is rising as old ghosts emerge 

das Außenministerium mäßigt den Ton gegenüber den sogenannten Schurkenstaaten  bzw. initiiert einen Vorstoß, um wieder diplomatische Beziehungen mit ihnen zu knüpfen  = the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is softening the wording/using milder language in its dealings with so-called rogue countries; at the same time it is spearheading an unprecedented diplomatic push on certain rogue countries

der ehemalige Verteidigungsminister wehrte sich gegen die Behauptung, er habe während seiner Amtszeit einen Angriff auf einen Schurkenstaat empfohlen = the former Defense Minister pushed back on/debunked the claim that during his tenure he had recommended the then  president attack/invade a certain rogue country 

bei den Abrüstungsgesprächen legt der Präsident noch eine Schippe drauf = the president has upped the ante/doubled down on the negotiations with nuclear-armed states; a few countries have vowed to make the nuclear deal work/have raised the stakes on a new UN-resolution concerning disarmament; some nations are getting tougher/are hardening/toughening their stance on human rights issues

derzeit stagniert das politische Momentum = right now the political momentum seems to be/is stalling

politische Unsicherheit verbreitet sich = political anxiety is doing the rounds

Politik mit harten Bandagen/Hauen und Stechen geht los = the attack lines are a mirror of the usual cut and thrust/rough and tumble of politics; these were no-holds-barred negotiations; it has been a campaign marked by many knock-down-drag-out duels/debates; expect the rookie politician to come/go out swinging at the next elections; no punches were pulled in the debates between the major parties

manche Nationen betreiben Politik nach Gutsherrenart = some "bully" countries/risky/high-stakes politicians use high-handed/heavy-handed/ sledgehammer tactics in dealing with other nations; the way the president acts is nothing short of banana republic crap/stuff

Land fühlt sich nicht fair behandelt = country feels it hasn’t been treated fairly/it was dealt with in an offhand manner and taken somewhat for granted; superpower fumbled on (name country) 

Armee beginnt, sich vom Diktator des Schurkenstaates zu distanzieren, weil er angeblich mit dem Feuer spielt = Army begins to push back against/cut away/break away/back away from dictator of rogue state/regime, who seemingly is playing a game of chicken Regimekritiker werden immer lauter = regime detractors have become increasingly vocal 

es ist indiskutabel, dass der ehemalige Armeegeneral die Verantwortung für den Versuch, die Regierung zu stürzen, trägt = there’s no escaping the reality that the former army general bears the responsibility for the attempt to overthrow the government

Lage soll nicht zu einem gefährlichen Überbietungswettrennen werden = don’t let the situation/dispute get out of hand/escalate to political brinkmanship/turn into a game of chicken

Kritik an anderem Land üben = the foreign minister unleashed/delivered criticism of (other country‘s) trade practices; country was reprimanded for not sticking to EU norms

Sanktionen könnten verhängt werden, wenn ein Land mit einem Feind eines bedeutsamen/wichtigen Alliierten Handel betreibt = country could be hit with sanctions by major ally, should it trade with one of its enemies; some countries enter into unlikely trade links with enemies/foes of major allies 

Supermächte wollen manchmal kleine Länder unterbuttern/mobben = superpowers sometimes attempt to use bully-like tactics to force/ frighten small countries into submission; our country looks like a client state of the superpower: it’s too much give and and almost no take 

Regierung lässt sich auf undurchsichtige Deals mit Supermacht ein = government betrays the public/trades away the public interest/sells the farm to a superpower; superpower extends a potential lifeline to impoverished country

Ist die US-Politik auf einen Kulturaustausch ausgerichtet oder kommt eher der imperialistische Drang zum Vorschein? = views about US politics may differ: Is it a cross-cultural exchange or plain imperialistic swagger/imperial derring-do?

die jüngsten Behauptungen des US Präsidenten über den Krieg in der Ukraine stößt die Europäer von den Kopf = the latest claims of US president about the war in Ukraine blindsides/shellschocks/stuns Europeans

führende europäische Politiker/Diplomaten bemühen sich, einen zügigen Waffenstillstand in der Ukraine zu bewerkstelligen = leading European politicians/diplomats are scrambling to strike/cut a cease-fire/truce deal in Ukraine   

Land duldet keine fremde Einmischung in seine internen/externen Angelegenheiten = nation ruled by an an increasingly erratic autocrat does not tolerate/suffer/brook any foreign interference/meddling in its internal/external affairs

ein diplomatisches/r Patt/Zwischenfall an der Grenze ruft heftige Reaktion hervor = a diplomatic firework has erupted over the dangerously escalating border standoff/incident; political standoff elicits a furious reaction from the neighboring country; nation goes rogue over (other country) on border deadlock/impasse

in diplomatischen Kreisen herrscht die Zuversicht, dass bei der Hängepartie bald ein angemessener und gerechter Konsens erreicht wird = diplomatic sources are confident (that) the week-long wrangling will come to a fair and friendly/middle-of-the-road resolution/ solution; both countries are trying to resolve the diplomatic scuffle/cliffhanger/tug of war 

der Konflikt zwischen beiden Ländern ist noch nicht entschärft worden = the deadlock/stalemate/Mexican standoff between the two nations hasn’t been shattered yet 

beide Parteien müssen einen Kompromiss ausarbeiten =  both parties have to hash out/ fashion/craft a compromise 

beim Grenzkonflikt zwischen den beiden Ländern gab es Drohgebärde/Säbelrasseln =  there was some military posturing/sabre rattling over a border standoff/dispute between the two countries; the conflict seems to be heading into uncharted territory 

das war/ist nicht nur harmlose Drohgebärde = it was more bark than bite; thinly veiled threats have been issued by the rogue/pariah nation/country; his saber rattling represents a real threat; Will the dictator make good on his threats?; the current situation can be described as a Mexican standoff

die Drohkulisse wird erhöht = the military drills were more than just delivering/firing a shot across the bows  

Was ist das Kalkül hinter der neuen Strategie? = What is the math (maths, UK/AUS) behind the new strategy/approach?  Truppenbewegungen deuten darauf hin, dass (ein Land) es auf das Nachbarland abgesehen hat = troop movements suggest the country  has designs on its neighbor

anstatt den Grenzkonflikt zu entschärfen, gießt der/die Außenminister/in Öl ins Feuer =  instead of easing tensions in the border dispute the Secretary of State (US for foreign minister) pours gas on/adds fuel to the fire 

der Grenzstreit zwischen diesen beiden Ländern schwelt seit Jahren = the border dispute between these two countries have been bubbling away for years 

viele Bürger können sich nicht mit der Vorstellung anfreunden, dass Kampfpanzer in ein Kriegsgebiet geschickt werden = many country citizens do not stomach the idea of sending tanks to a war-torn-region

das Land führt einen Stellvertreterkrieg = the country is waging/conducting a proxy war; although some nations prefer to act through their proxies in the region, they keep flexing their military muscle in response to any possible escalation; conflict/war threatens to spill over into neighboring countries

das Land befindet sich am Rande eines Bürgerkrieges/Konfliktes = the nation is on the brink/cusp/verge of civil war/revolution; both warring parties try to dial down the risk of a full conflict escalation; the conflict could soon spiral to a full-fledged war 

der Krieg überschattet das Treffen der Vereinten Nationen/der Europäischen Verteidigungsminister = the war casts a pall/muddies the waters  over the United Nations conference; the EU talks are strained due to the Middle East conflict/are being held under the shadow of the war; both warring parties try to dial down the risk of a full conflict escalation  

mit diesem Krieg wird das Bestreben vom dauerhaften Welt frieden sowie geopolitische Stabilität mal wieder auf den Kopf gestellt =   this war turned the quest for everlasting world peace as well as geopolitical stability and again on its head;  in a shift from previous policies some countries are nowadays intent on disentangling themselves from any conflicts abroad/beyond their borders 

der lange Krieg tobt weiter, kein Ende in Sicht = ebb and flow of long war grinds on/continues as no stalemate/no tipping point in the

offing

die andauernde Bombardierung hat die Stadt/Region in Schutt und Asche gelegt = the continuous bombardment reduced the city/region to rubble; the enemy army bombed the town into oblivion

die Bombardierung zerstörte die Stadt und hinterließ eine Schneise der Zerstörung/ Verwüstung = the bombing razed/leveled/ devastated the city leaving a swathe/path/trail of destruction in its wake; the bombing razed/levelled/devastated  the city/left a swathe/ path/trail of destruction in its wake; the enemy army bombed the town into oblivion; the continuous bombardment reduced the city/region to rubble 

die Besatzungsmacht/-armee versucht, die Anwohner der Stadt durch Bombardierung /Aushungern gefügig zu machen = famine looms as the occupying forces/army attempt(s) to starve/bomb the local residents into submission 

Waffen schweigen in der umkämpften Stadt = guns fall silent in the embattled/war-torn/war-stricken/war-ravaged/conflict-ridden city; intense fighting on the outskirts of the city is beginning to subside

weltweit scheint derzeit der Nahost am stärksten konfliktgefährdet zu sein = the Middle East presently seems/appears to be the world’s hottest trouble spot

aufgrund zwielichtiger Deals sind die Handelsbeziehungen zwischen beiden Ländern schlechter geworden = relationship between two countries have deteriorated over rogue trading/practices     

Handelskrieg schwappt nach Europa über = trade war spills over to Europe 

ein Land will allen (anderen Ländern) Recht machen, indem es sich bemüht, alle Voraussetzungen für den Freihandel zu erfüllen = a goody two-shoes country pulls out all the diplomatic bells and whistles to grease the wheels of free commerce

eine Welle der Liberalisierung schwappt übers Land = a tide of liberalization is washing through/sweeping (over/across) the country

die meisten Briten denken jetzt, dass der Austritt aus der Europäischen Union ein Fehler war – dies wird “BREGRET" genannt, man bedauert es = most Brits now think leaving the European Union was a mistake:  they call it  - BREGRET - , which is a way of expressing the feeling of regret about one’s vote for Britain to leave the EU 

Exporteure wünschen sich weniger Intervention seitens der Regierung  = export companies wish trade be freed from the shackles of government intervention

die Exportbranche sollte Rechtsberatung heranziehen, um niedrigere Zolltarife zu entrichten = export sector is/companies are urged to seek legal advice to escape higher tariffs

Behörden schweigen über die Höhe der Strafzölle, mit denen Exporteure belangt wurden = the governing body remains tight-lipped about the amount of sanctions they have handed out to export enterprises last year

Handelsbarrieren und nationalistische Interessen sollen abgeschafft werden = trade barriers and national fiefdoms should be broken down/done away with/stamped out/removed/swept away; Should barriers for countries willing to join the European Community (or NATO) be eased or not? 

infolge eines Handelsabkommens sollen sich Arbeitsnormen nicht verschlechtern = country’s labor standards must not be eroded/ deteriorated in the wake of treaty

patriotische Bürger mucken gegen Einmischung durch ein fremdes Land auf  = patriotic citizens push back against a foreign country’s meddling/interference in their nation’s own affairs 

in jedem Land gibt es Lokal-/Regionalpatriotismus = interstate parochialism/tribalism exists in every country; governments design domestic policies primarily in order to serve the interests of the country 

die derzeitige US-Regierung bezeichnet die EU-Länder (auch Kanada und Mexiko) als „erbärmliche Schmarotzer“, weil sie angeblich über viele Jahre hinweg die USA wirtschaftlich ausgenutzt haben, um die USA abzuzocken =  the current US government calls the EU (European Union) countries (add Canada and Mexico to them) “pathetic freeloaders” for supposedly/arguably having taken trade advantage of the US over many years and in the process screwed/ripped off the US 

durch die Verhängung von hohen Einfuhrzöllen auf eine Reihe verschiedener aus Europa eingeführter Produkte behält sich die US-Regierung vor, dass die sogenannten „Schmarotzerländer“ den Preis für ihren langjährigen Handelsüberschuss als Kompensation zurückzahlen =  by slapping/imposing harsh/heavy import duties/tariffs on a range of diverse products imported from Europe, the US-admin vowed to make these “freeloading countries” pay the price of their long-running trade surplus

... das Land, das den globalen freien Markt geschaffen hat, beendet ihn sozusagen unter dem neuen Präsidenten zwar nicht nüchtern, sondern rachsüchtig = ... so to speak under the new president the country that created the global free market is bringing it to an end, not soberly but rather vengefully

in diesem Zusammenhang nimmt die US-Regierung auch fast alle NATO-Mitgliedsländer ins Visier, die ihrer Meinung nach schon lange genug vom US-Verteidigungsschirm profitiert haben =  by the same token the US admin is also targeting almost all NATO member countries, which it said have been freeloading off the US defense umbrella long enough

Politiker bringen gerne den Satz “unser Land ist/wir sind für Sie da” mit einem Hauch von  Patriotismus in Verbindung = the catchword “it’s about being there for your country, as our country is there for us” can be construed as a touch of patriotism; some governments design domestic policies primarily in order to serve the interests of the country

treue Mitbürger sollten sich typische Regionalerzeugnisse/Lokalkolorit auf die Fahne schreiben = loyal citizens should promote local products/source their food locally and thus fly the flag for home-growns; “think global, act local” and  “do not outsource” become catchcries

man sollte Stolz nicht mit Chauvinismus gleichsetzen = don’t let pride/excessive patriotism turn/topple over into jingoism

wenn ein Land eine protektionistische Wirtschaftsstrategie verfolgt, sollte man keine en Auslandsprodukte erwerben; im Umkehrschluss bedeutet es, dass man nur Lokalerzeugnisse kaufen sollte; ausländisches Eigentum sollte ebenfalls nicht zugelassen werden = if a country pursues a protectionist economic strategy it means that one should refrain from the purchase of any foreign products; put another way/conversely, always buy locally manufactured products; it also works out to/is tantamount to pulling/yanking the foreign ownership lever 

Land verkündet höhere Zölle für die Einfuhr von Rindfleisch = country announces that beef products will be hit with new fees

Land verbietet Einfuhr von Milchprodukten  = nation freezes out/bans import of dairy products