Merkel defends gas deals with Russia

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel (68) defended the decision of previous years to rely heavily on cheap natural gas from Russia for a transitional period during the energy transition.

“Before the transformation period, it was clear that we need natural gas so that we can one day achieve completely CO2-free forms of energy naturally,” she said on Thursday at an event organized by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

“Rational and understandable at the time”

“From the perspective of the time, it was very rational and understandable to also get pipeline gas from Russia, which was cheaper than LNG (liquefied petroleum gas) from other parts of the world – the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar,” Merkel added. up. . Due to huge price increases and failed deliveries as a result of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Germany is threatening a recession next year.

“You always act in the time you are in,” Merkel asked for understanding. It was clear to German politicians that the entire energy supply had to be converted. «We have moved out of nuclear energy (…). We wanted to get out of the coal step by step – and we still want to do that,” she recalls.

War in Ukraine is turning point

She also said: “Even during the Cold War, Russia was a reliable energy supplier. I have never believed that there is such a thing as change through trade, but connection through trade. And in this regard, I don’t regret any decisions at all, but believe it was the right choice to do at the time,” Merkel insisted.

Moreover, towards the end of her tenure, the urgency to tackle climate change became increasingly apparent. “And yet this brutal attack by Russia has now brought about change. This is a turning point. And of course the new government has to deal with it, and it does,” said the former chancellor, who was head of government for 16 years until December last year. (SDA)