Merz, candidate for chancellor of Germany, ruled out a return to gas supplies from Russia

Germany has no plans to return to gas supplies and Russia. Friedrich Merz, a candidate for chancellor of Germany from the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) bloc, said this in an interview with The Economist on February 11.

According to him, at least 50 new gas-fired power plants should be built in the country. Merz pointed out that there will be no return to Russian gas in the near future, but he added that Germany is open to concluding long-term contracts for the supply of American liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The candidate for chancellor also admitted the possibility of building new nuclear reactors in the country to replace those shut down under the current government and those that cannot be restarted.

On the eve of the head of the German party "Sarah Wagenknecht's Union - for Reason and Justice" (SSV) and candidate for the Bundestag Sarah Wagenknecht said that Germany should not impose anti-Russian sanctions, as they primarily affect the economy of Germany. At the same time, she pointed out that the German side does not import gas from Russia, but buys it more expensive in liquefied form through Belgium, which, among other things, harms the economic environment.

Before that, on January 30, the British newspaper The Financial Times reported that the European Union was discussing the resumption of gas supplies from Russia as part of the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. According to the newspaper, the idea was supported by some officials from Germany, Hungary and other countries. Those in favor of the resumption of gas supplies from Russia believe that this will facilitate compliance with a possible agreement on the cessation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

On January 31, Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and a leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund, told Izvestia that the European Union's rejection of Russian energy resources has led to serious economic consequences, including rising energy prices and deindustrialization. On the same day, European Commission Chairwoman Ursula von der Leyen said that the refusal from Russian energy resources had cost Western countries dearly.