As of: 4/4/2022 4:10 a.m
After the alleged atrocities in Bucha, Ukraine, Defense Minister Lambrecht once again brought up a Russian energy embargo. But the economics minister and the head of the SPD continue to reject this.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck is calling for the sanctions against Russia to be tightened quickly, but continues to reject an import ban on Russian gas and oil supplies, for example. The Greens politician made this clear on Sunday evening on ZDF. “We are pursuing a strategy of making ourselves independent of Russian gas, coal and oil, just not immediately,” said Habeck.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil also remains in the rejection of an abrupt stop after the killings of civilians in the Ukrainian Bucha which became known. Despite the horrific images, he believes “an immediate gas embargo is wrong for many reasons,” he said on Sunday evening Anne Will. The Bavarian Prime Minister, CSU boss Markus Söder, shared this position there and pointed out that Russia was already looking for other customers, such as India.
Doubts about the effectiveness of an embargo
“We’re just turning off the gas tap a little more every day,” explained Klingbeil. To make a complete stop from one day to the next, “we have to talk about the consequences that this would have for us in Germany, despite all the brutality of these pictures and all the emotionality that I also have”. It’s not just about the consequences for industry, but also about social cohesion.
Klingbeil also doubted that a German freeze on energy supplies would prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war of aggression. “What Putin is doing right now is not based on economic reason.”
Lambrecht wants to talk to EU ministers about stopping deliveries
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) had previously Report from Berlin explains that after the events in Butscha, the topic of energy supplies must also be a topic of discussion with further consequences. The topic of stopping gas deliveries must also be discussed among EU ministers.
Habeck, on the other hand, said on ZDF that the next steps would be to “not expose the energy infrastructure in Germany to Russian arbitrariness” in the hands of Russian owners such as Gazprom or Rosneft. Habeck added: “We have to solve that first so that we can guarantee security of supply, also for Poland. And we are working on it.”
Among other things, Rosneft is the majority owner of a refinery in Schwedt in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which supplies the greater Berlin and Brandenburg area as well as western Poland with petrol, diesel, heating oil and kerosene. The “Handelsblatt” reported on Friday that scenarios were being played out in the Ministry of Economic Affairs that also provided for nationalization.
More sanctions against Putin confidants
Like Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Habeck announced a “fifth package of sanctions” against Russia. This will include “personal sanctions against other people from the Putin regime” but also affect technical goods. The financial market will also be looked at again.
Habeck referred to the international reactions to the atrocities in Bucha. “And the murders, the war crimes that we have now seen will increase the pressure on Putin again,” said Habeck. “It’s terrible what’s happening there.”