turn away from Russia
Habeck does not see Germany prepared for an embargo
03/24/2022 10:34 am
All the pressure is useless: According to Minister of Economics Habeck, Germany is not capable of imposing an immediate embargo on Russian energy imports. Alternatives, such as Qatar, and further energy savings are important for this. He doesn’t think much of an idea from the FDP.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck sees the move away from energy supplies from Russia on the way. Germany is in the process of “gradually reducing this,” Habeck said in the Bundestag. However, he again rejected an immediate exit: “We are not yet in a position to immediately impose an embargo.”
Habeck conceded that such an embargo could potentially end the war in Ukraine “in three days.” However, one cannot “assume it with certainty”, rather “the evidence speaks against it”. Therefore, it is right not to act thoughtlessly when importing oil, gas and coal from Russia, but to proceed step by step.
“We are rapidly freeing ourselves from dependence on Russian fossil fuels,” Habeck emphasized. This is already lower than at the beginning of the Ukraine war. The goal of greater independence also applies to the infrastructure, the minister pointed out, referring to the gas storage facilities and refineries in Germany controlled by Russian companies. “We are in the process of correcting all of this,” he clarified.
Germany must be more prepared
But if you want to make yourself independent of imports from Russia, “you still have to look for alternatives,” Habeck continued. In his efforts to get energy supplies from Qatar, for example, it’s not so much about “changing the country of origin” as it is about a broader base. “We must never again become dependent on one supplier alone,” demanded Habeck.
However, more efficiency and savings in the energy sector are just as important, said the Vice Chancellor. Even if the prices are currently high, “it doesn’t make sense to subsidize them,” he again opposed the FDP’s demands. Rather, consumption must be reduced.
At the same time, the government is working on expanding the hydrogen infrastructure and also promoting the expansion of renewable energies “after years of standstill”. The same applies to network expansion. The government wants to “set an exclamation mark in the area of efficiency”, because “this is how a turning point is made”. “Those who protect the climate protect freedom,” said Habeck.
However, there is also over-funding in some areas of energy policy, said the minister, with a view to the construction sector, for example. In the meantime, it is sometimes the case that people only move “if you give them a financial slap on the bottom”. It makes more sense to “unleash the forces of the market”, but not blindly, but by “giving it a direction”.