“Who is embargo really hurting?”
Kretschmer would like to continue buying Russian oil
05/11/2022, 01:55 am
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck now considers an embargo on Russian oil to be feasible. However, the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer doubts whether the sanction would take effect at all. He is repeatedly accused of being too close to Russia.
Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer is critical of an import ban on Russian oil. Referring to a planned sixth EU sanctions package against Russia, he said: “I think now is the time to take a closer look: Who is it really harming?” There is a global demand for hard coal, oil and gas. If European countries buy energy elsewhere than in Russia, there will be a shortage and the gap will most likely be filled by Russian sources, according to the CDU politician.
Negotiations on the sixth sanctions package – which includes an oil embargo – are currently blocked. Hungary and other EU countries are demanding extensive exemptions from the planned import ban. Since Russia attacked Ukraine, the EU had already imposed numerous sanctions on Moscow. Kretschmer also said during a visit to Brussels that the aim must be to meet the warmongers in Russia – the oligarchs, the secret service people, the president – and not to further weaken the power in Europe. “Energy is the Achilles heel of every economy.”
Oil and gas prices are already toxic. If there is an energy shortage, it is not a question of apartments not being quite as warm. “The point here is that we stop production, that jobs are lost.” Economics Minister Robert Habeck recently said that an embargo would be feasible for Germany. “It would certainly lead to regional bottlenecks, it would certainly lead to higher prices, there might also be local disruptions. So you can’t say nobody notices. But it would no longer lead to a full-blown catastrophe,” said the Greens -Politician.
In the past, Kretschmer had been criticized for his Russia course by the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, among others. About a month ago, he said to Kretschmer: “Your outrageous pandering to this war criminal remains an eternal shame.” Among other things, Kretschmer said that economic ties with Russia remained important.