German politician pushes for discussions on restoring Nord Stream
(MENAFN) Michael Kretschmer, the prime minister of Germany’s Saxony state and a deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has called for a shift in Berlin’s stance toward Moscow — including potential discussions on reviving the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
In an interview with Die Zeit on Sunday, Kretschmer criticized Germany’s current approach to Russia, claiming that it has yielded no results and has only harmed the country’s economy. He argued that a more constructive policy — including talks about restoring Nord Stream — would be mutually beneficial.
According to Kretschmer, Germany’s economy requires at least 20% of its gas supply to come from Russia to remain stable. He warned that continued high energy prices and production costs are driving businesses to relocate, and suggested that if the economic strain continues, Germany may be forced to reconsider its strategy within a couple of years.
This position contrasts with that of CDU leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently voiced support for a European Union plan to permanently ban the use of Nord Stream and halt any potential energy trade with Russia as part of expanded sanctions.
Kretschmer rejected this hardline stance, stating that no dialogue is possible while Germany focuses solely on sanctions and refuses to consider gas imports.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were originally built to transport Russian gas directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea, with a combined capacity of 110 billion cubic meters per year. However, three of the four lines were destroyed in underwater explosions in September 2022 — an act of sabotage that Moscow believes was carried out by Western intelligence agencies.
The loss of Russian pipeline gas and the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict caused energy prices in Europe to soar. Prior to the crisis, Russia supplied 32% of the EU and UK’s total gas demand, with Germany alone sourcing 55% of its gas from Russian pipelines.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
