Germany became accepted after the war because everyone down there seemed really, really sad and ashamed and because the Germans were needed to hold the front. Still after 60 years, the Poles become pissed off now and then over real or imagined insults.
Now, while Russia is needed to supply oil&gas that is not as important as Germany was in the 50's. And neither the Russian people nor the elite seem very sad or ashamed at all over the Soviet Union and its crimes. Actually I believe Putin said the fall of the Soviet Union was the biggest disaster of the century, or something like that. What if Merkel said the fall of the Third Reich had been the greatest disaster of the century? A lot of people would be very angry and very afraid...
So expect people to be very vary of Russia for at least 50 more years. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
Regarding fall of Soviet Union, Putin said it was the biggest geopolitical disaster of the century. If you just look around and notice what has happened after 1991, such as: several countries jumping to get nukes, certain large country deciding it's the biggest kid on the block and trying to impregnate the rest of the world with its vision of democracy with the results all too obvious, the same certain country refusing efforts for militarisation of the space, etc. - you should admit there's a certain point to his statement.
Two caveats: first, don't get me started on Central and Eastern Europe getting its freedom as a result of the collapse. These countries got the freedom before the collapse by conscious decision of Gorbachev (or Moscow, as many other people were involved). Second: these words were said at a military parade commemorating victory in the WWII, and they were to said to veterans of this war. These people made the most of all currently living in Europe to produce all the bright things in existence (I hope we at least agree that Nazi Europe would have been a bad idea), and got a flood of brownish waste from "civilised" media in exchange. They did deserve some kind words.
Finally, on the question of shame and apology. You know, Gorbachev tried it. Eltsin tried it. USSR discarded its empire, its ideology, and its confrontation with the West, on its own volition. Well, it turned out to be not enough, as the West wanted a defeated and humiliated country without defeating it first. Can't work. It's not a big surprise that Russians recalled all the good things their predecessors have done (even though some Europeans have conveniently forgotten them) and adopted a stance resembling that of Austrians, or Japanese for that matter - pretty well integrated members of the international community, ugh?
Sorry for delving into history - its was you who used 50 years of occupation to justify some ridiculous projections into future commercial matters.
