Germany is paying the price for its energy policy with Russia.
(Baonghean.vn) - According to experts, Germany is paying the price for its wrong policies with high inflation, high energy prices and the country's prosperity, including refusing to buy gas from Russia.
Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz blamed Russia for the deep energy crisis facing Germany and Europe. According to the German leader, Europe has lost a total of 120 billion cubic meters of gas. The shortage has led to high prices.
German Chancellor accuses Russia of being responsible for stopping gas supplies to Europe
December 10, 2023 07:08
According to RT, despite the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Moscow has not stopped supplying energy to European countries. Speaking at this year's St. Petersburg International Gas Forum, Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said that Russia still considers itself a "reliable supplier", has never closed its gas exports to the West, and continues to pump through the Ukrainian gas transport system, as well as the Turkish Stream. Mr. Shulginov emphasized that the initiator of the suspension of supplies was "on the initiative" of European countries.
Experts point out that Chancellor Olaf Scholz's policies have become one of the main reasons for the difficult situation of the German economy. Therefore, the lack of energy sources and skyrocketing gas prices have plunged Germany into a large-scale industrial and budget crisis.
“Scholz’s actions have caused great difficulties for the German economy as a whole, and for energy-intensive industry, especially the chemical industry,” said Aleksei Grivach, deputy general director for gas issues at the Russian National Energy Security Fund. “Of course, he will defend himself and blame Russia for everything. But even Scholz’s voters and political opponents are unlikely to believe his statements.”
Despite the severe economic crisis, Chancellor Scholz has no intention of abandoning the path of military assistance to Ukraine. At the same time, the German Chancellor admitted that supporting Kiev has become a serious “financial challenge” for Berlin.
To date, Germany's total aid budget for Ukraine has exceeded 25 billion euros, as of February 2022. At the same time, budget spending for Ukraine in 2024 has not yet been agreed.
In that context, Mr. Scholz's popularity is declining. According to the latest survey conducted by YouGov, 74% of respondents believe that the German Chancellor is not doing a good job in her role. Only 22% of people positively evaluate the work of the government.
Vladislav Belov, head of the German Studies Center at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the accusations against Russia are Chancellor Scholz's way of trying to defend himself, to escape responsibility for the crisis. However, it is not excluded that early elections will take place in the Bundestag, if the chancellor's popularity drops to a minimum.
“The German government has not yet made any political decisions regarding Nord Stream. Over time, Germany will begin to restore purchases of Russian energy resources. Germany needs Russian energy. Many in Germany understand that without Russian energy, the country's industry will lose its competitiveness. Germany will pay for such a policy with high inflation, high energy prices and the country's prosperity,” Belov said.
Mr. Belov believes that Russian gas supplies will continue when the Ukraine conflict ends./.
