Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has announced aid for German companies after the western sanctions packages against Russia. The federal government will do everything possible to keep consequences away from Germany, said the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection on Sunday in the Bundestag. “So we will take similar protective measures for the areas of the economy that may be affected by sanctions as we did in the corona pandemic.”
During the pandemic, the federal government had decided on financial aid worth billions to cushion the consequences for companies and jobs. The sanctions against Russia, for example in the financial and trade sectors as a result of the Ukraine war, could also burden German companies.
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Green politician reiterated that Germany must become less dependent on Russian energy imports. Habeck said he wants to present an “exit plan” from fossil fuels. Energy supply has become a national security issue.
Referring to demonstrations in Russia, the Vice Chancellor said the war was not popular there. “You can literally smell the fear of the potentates, Putin’s fear of his own people.” Referring to Ukraine, Habeck said: “It’s the provocation of freedom that Putin and his family can’t stand.”
Habeck also said that mistakes had been made in retrospect. Germany was not careful enough about the dependency that the high oil, gas and coal imports from Russia had caused it to become. (dpa)