This paper examines the economic relations between Russia and Germany, on the one hand, as an economic ecosystem, and on the other, as part of the global world-system described in the works of F. Braudel, I. Wallerstein, S. Amin and others. Within the framework of the systems under consideration, Russia as a semi-periphery is mostly a supplier of mineral products - oil, gas, etc., and Germany as a central country is a supplier of high-tech products. With the onset of a new phase of the conflict in Ukraine and because of Western sanctions, the old form of interaction began to undergo changes because old ties ceased to operate. In the work, the author uses such methods as bibliographic and statistical, as well as analysis and graphical modeling. Based on quantitative indicators, the author comes to the conclusion that the rupture of many previous ties harms, first of all, the acquirer of greater benefit from the relations of unequal exchange - Germany. For Russia, the withdrawal of German products from the Russian market and Germany’s refusal of the previous volume of supplies of Russian gas and oil is an incentive and an opportunity to restructure its economy to introduce new technologies into production and to seek new markets for the sale of products with high added value.