I’m not sure it’s pathetic so much as part of a calculated water testing strategy. It lessens the upset and shock from the public because it’s already been hashed out a bit so it’s less surprising and it also forewarns and lets the Russians toss it around before pushing forward anyways and pretending they’re doing so with great reluctance so the escalation seems less obvious/bad. The truly sad part is Germans buying this show thinking they have any independence in all this.