Union boss: Germany still needs Russian gas

Created: 01/25/2022, 15:24

Michael Vassiliadis speaks at the union's annual press conference in Hanover.

© Moritz Frankenberg/dpa/archive image

According to union boss Michael Vassiliadis, Germany is “dependent on Russian gas to a certain extent”.

At the moment, the Federal Republic can certainly cover its gas requirements from other sources with "a lot of effort and a lot of money", said the chairman of the mining, chemical and energy industry union (IG BCE) on Tuesday after a meeting with the SPD parliamentary group in North Rhine-Westphalia. Westphalia.

Düsseldorf - Vassiliadis showed understanding that in the heated conflict surrounding the Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline is being discussed as a possible sanction.

With a view to Germany's energy supply, however, he said: "If we do without Russian gas and Nord Stream 2, the lights will not go out immediately, but it will be expensive, it will exacerbate the unanswered gas supply questions for the future, and we have a problem."

Deputy SPD federal chairman and SPD state leader Thomas Kutschaty said Russia must be given a clear understanding that any intervention or annexation of parts of Ukraine would also trigger “a clear German and European reaction”.

"It may or may not be in the energy sector," said Kuchaty.

Daily new threats and discussions about whether or not Germany is still buying gas from Russia or whether or not a pipeline is about to go into operation are not bringing the difficult peace policy debate any further.

Rather, a “permanent peace order with Russia” must be worked out.

“It's about more than just energy supply.

It's about a military conflict that is imminent, a two-hour flight from here," said Kuchaty.

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Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recently confirmed in the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" that "there would be high costs for Russia if there were military aggression against Ukraine".

The federal government had made it clear that if Russia invaded Ukraine, all options were on the table - including consequences for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The pipeline connects Russia and Germany directly through the Baltic Sea, but is not yet operational.

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is President of the Board of Directors at Nord Stream 2.

dpa