Former German finance minister calls for lifting EU-harmful sanctions against Russian Federation

Former German Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine has called for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russia, which have already caused huge damage to the European Union (EU). The politician said this on January 16, speaking at the federal congress of Sarah Wagenknecht's Union for Reason and Justice (BSW) party.

"If you want to have industry in Europe, you need a relationship with raw materials in Russia. And that is why we need to lift the sanctions immediately," Lafontaine said. A video of his speech has been published on the party's YouTube channel.

At the event, the former minister also questioned whether the FRG is no longer able to represent its own interests in world politics. Given that the sanctions imposed against Russia contradict international law, Gazeta.Ru adds.

Lafontaine emphasized that Berlin should do everything to make the Nord Stream gas pipeline work again. According to the politician, it is necessary not only in the interests of Germany, but also for the whole of Europe.

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Earlier in the day, the Neue Zurcher Zeitung newspaper reported that the refusal to use Russian gas had a significant impact on German industry. As Mikhail Belyaev, a financial analyst and candidate of economic sciences, added in his commentary to Izvestia, not only the energy industry of the Federal Republic of Germany suffered, but also those parts of the industry where gas acted as a raw material. In particular, Germany has faced difficulties due to the restriction of gas in the automotive and chemical industries.

Before that, on January 12, BSW leader Sarah Wagenknecht said that the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU and the US are aimed at giving an advantage to US companies. According to her, the restrictions have nothing to do with the conflict in Ukraine and have no impact on it. He pointed out that the sanctions program stimulates the US economy and is a killer for German and European companies.

Western countries increased sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of the special operation to protect civilians in Donbass, which was announced on February 24, 2022.