Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer condemned the German government’s plans to stop imports of coal, gas and oil from Russia, considering them too hasty.
“Before we withdraw from supply contracts, it is necessary to ensure a reliable energy supply,” he was quoted by the newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten.
The prime minister also noted that German Economy Minister Robert Habeck should not warn of an impending recession in the country, but rather take any action to avoid it.
On June 4, the European Union (EU) announced that there were no plans to impose a gas embargo against Russia in the near future.
On June 3, the EU announced the final approval of the sixth package of anti-Russian sanctions. Restrictive measures include, among other things, the refusal of the member countries of the union to import oil from Russia for six months, and for eight months – the refusal of oil products.
A phase-out of oil from Russia transported by sea is also being introduced. A temporary exception to the ban on offshore oil supplies from Russia has been introduced only for Bulgaria and Croatia. At the same time, a temporary exception was made for the supply of the product through pipelines.
On May 29, it was reported that gas storage facilities in Germany were not sufficiently filled for the coming winter. According to the head of the Federal Network Agency of the country, Klaus Muller, the accumulated reserves in Germany will not be enough in the event of interruptions in Russian gas supplies or their complete cessation. According to the agency, as of May 27, Germany’s gas storage facilities were 46.4% full.
German economist Christian Geinitz, in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on May 17, expressed the opinion that if Germany is left without Russian gas and cannot find a replacement for it, the country will face big losses and a cold autumn.
On May 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is successfully coping with restrictions. He also noted that those who introduce them provoke a global crisis. The Russian leader warned that the “continuation of the sanctions obsession” would lead to “hard to reverse” consequences for the EU and the poorest countries.
Western countries continue to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation against the background of Moscow’s special operation to protect Donbass, which was announced on February 24 by the head of the Russian state.
The special operation began against the backdrop of the situation in the Donbass that worsened in mid-February. Then the authorities of the DPR and LPR reported on the increased shelling by the Ukrainian troops, announced the evacuation of the civilian population in the Russian Federation and asked for recognition of independence. On February 21, Putin signed a corresponding decree.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
