The appearance of Soviet Russia in the international arena in 1917 was one, but not the only factor that contributed to the further development of the idea of European integration. German supporters of the unification of Europe after the First World War were attracted by the economic and political aspects of the European idea, in the development of which they themselves took an active part. In particular, it was proposed to create a pan-European economic zone, which included as an "indispensable complement" the "joint economic exploitation of pan-European colonies", most of which were in Africa. The German Foreign Ministry, headed by G. Stresemann, supported the project of a federal union of Europe. After the Second World War, the supporters of European integration in Germany, which was divided into occupation zones, hoped with the help of membership in the proposed European Federal Union to solve a number of national tasks, the main of which was the reunification of Germany