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Christian Lindner
Photo: Roland Weihrauch / dpa
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner continues to reject an import ban on Russian gas.
The Russian gas imports cannot be replaced in the short term, said the FDP leader before the meetings of the finance ministers of the euro states in Luxembourg.
In his words, an immediate waiver would hit Germany harder than Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We want to become independent of energy imports from Russia as quickly as possible," said Lindner.
But you have to differentiate between oil, gas and coal.
»Gas cannot be substituted in the short term.
We would harm ourselves more than him (Putin).« Nevertheless, one must end all economic relations with Russia as soon as possible.
In the short term, however, it is now a matter of “not letting people in the EU down and averting the threat to the existence of companies”.
Austria's Finance Minister Magnus Brunner had previously made a similar statement.
Austria stands 100 percent with Germany on the issue, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner said before the Eurogroup meeting.
Sanctions only make sense if they don't hit you harder than the one you want to hit.
You have to keep a cool head, especially with a gas embargo, said Brunner.
The German Economics Minister Robert Habeck had previously spoken out again against an immediate energy embargo.
»As far as the Commission is concerned, nothing is off the table«
Vice-President of the EU Commission Valdis Dombrovskis said the commission is preparing the next package of sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine war.
"We need to increase pressure on Russia and we need to increase support for Ukraine," Dombrovskis said.
Asked if the package could include a ban on Russian oil purchases, he said: "As far as the commission is concerned, nothing is off the table."
More than five weeks into Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, hundreds of dead bodies were discovered in the Kiev suburb of Bucha following the withdrawal of Russian troops.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday called for tougher sanctions against Russia, in particular an oil, gas and coal embargo, the exclusion of all Russian banks from the Swift banking communications network and the closure of all ports to Russian ships and goods.
svs/Reuters