Once a week, ex-rulers Eberhard Diepgen (CDU) and Walter Momper (SPD) discuss topics that move the capital in the BZ Berlin. Today it is about the possible stop of gas and oil supplies from Russia.
Eberhard Diepgen: No, that does more harm than good
Reactions to Putin’s war against Ukraine have been full of contradictions. Anger and sympathy are pushing for resolute support for Ukraine, while fear and anxiety about a new world war call for careful consideration.
Weapons deliveries from NATO countries? Where is the limit to Germany’s entry into the war crossed? It seems right to me that the USA refused deliveries of Polish MiG fighter jets via an American base in Germany. Do our strategists count on Ukraine’s successful resistance when it comes to arms deliveries, or is it a long-term economic and military weakening of Russia in a long war?
And how do extensive sanctions against the Russian economy fit in with further deliveries of gas and oil, always well paid for? With that we are also paying for Putin’s war.
The accusation that people are dying there and are also fighting for our freedom and that we are sitting on our wallet tears our hearts apart. Nevertheless, it would be unreasonable to refrain from deliveries. At least for now. Energy prices are already exploding. In Berlin, we will suffer particularly because of the supply chains and special dependencies.
With the possible speed in the expansion of alternative energies, unrealistic dreams are often spread. However, Germany, Europe and NATO must expand their defense capabilities to protect their borders. In view of Putin’s threatening gestures, this is of crucial importance. That takes a lot of money and a strong economy.
If we endanger our competitiveness and thus many jobs, we can no longer provide the necessary expenditure for external and social security. Economic risks must therefore be avoided as far as possible.
It therefore seems right to me to monitor the effect of the sanctions that have already been imposed. And it’s not a question of a few weeks.
Walter Momper: No, as long as alternatives are not clear
As long as it is not clear where we can source the replacement from, we should continue to source gas imports from Russia in particular. Almost all Europeans are like us. The other European countries would also have to import gas and oil from other sources.
The effects of the sanctions that have already been passed, including the ban on oil imports from Russia to America, are severe enough as measures to cause lasting economic damage to Russia.
The cessation of gas and oil imports from Russia to Germany would damage the Russian economy and disrupt the state budget in particular and thus also the financing of the war in Ukraine. But it would also have a significant impact on us, as can already be seen from the rise in energy prices.
We should use everything that is still possible to save time to develop new sources of energy for our country and for Europe. In order to become less dependent on Russian deliveries.
That will not be easy, because the delivery of the natural liquefied gas LNG is not easy. It would be good if we had made further progress with the construction of the LNG terminals in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven. That would make delivery to Germany easier.
And then we still have to find suppliers on the world market who can supply us with the necessary quantities of gas and oil. This will be a bit easier with oil than with gas. So every gain in time is advantageous for a secure energy supply in Germany and Europe.