Berlin (agencies)
German Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck confirmed that his country will be able to dispense with Russian gas, on which it still depends heavily for its energy, in the long term if necessary.
In response to a question about this possibility, the day after Germany announced the suspension of the Russian-German gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 after Moscow recognized two separatist “republics” in eastern Ukraine, Habeck told German public radio: “Yes, it is possible.”
And if Berlin had to completely abandon Russian gas one day, this would initially create a “big gap” that must be filled in the energy market, with the consequent “rise in the price of gas.”
But in the end, Gazprom can be “replaced” by other suppliers and energy sources, according to the minister. A gas pipeline that was completed, but not operational, was supposed to increase Germany’s dependence on Moscow for 70 percent of total gas shipments.
The escalating crisis between Kiev and Moscow forces Berlin to speed up reducing its dependence on Russian gas and confront the failure of the “gas diplomacy” that has been going on for more than twenty years.
German public television, RD, confirmed that it was a “complete failure”, while the newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung” spoke of “diplomatic ruin”. What is meant is Berlin’s policy towards Moscow since the beginning of the millennium, while 55 percent of the gas imported to Germany comes from Russia.
In fact, that collapsed yesterday, with Germany announcing that it had suspended the license for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Moscow has already threatened Germany with energy difficulties in the future. “Welcome to a new world in which Europeans will have to pay 2,000 euros for 1,000 cubic meters of gas,” said former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
This amount is large for Germany, which in 2020 alone imported 56.3 billion cubic meters of Russian gas.
Germany is concerned. How can it dispense with Russian gas and correct an energy diplomacy towards Russia that has lasted for more than twenty years? Gas makes up more than a quarter of Germany’s energy consumption and 50 percent of what it uses to heat its homes.
This potentially explosive situation is causing growing discontent among German consumers and weakening the primary economy in the Eurozone. The Confederation of German Industries (BDE) considered that “the high price of gas threatens to stifle the economy,” stressing that “the situation is so serious that even medium-sized companies are considering moving jobs abroad.”
To counter this, the country is betting in the short term on a decrease in demand with the improvement of weather conditions, while the end of the winter season approaches. In the medium term, Germany seeks to change suppliers gradually, by developing the construction of natural gas stations to obtain liquefied gas by sea, from the United States or Canada.