Merkel claims Russian gas was ‘win-win’
Merkel claims Russian gas was ‘win-win’ . (MENAFN) Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended Germany's long-standing energy relationship with Russia, stating that buying natural gas from Moscow was a smart deal and rejecting ...
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(MENAFN) Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended Germany's long-standing relationship with Russia, stating that buying natural from Moscow was a smart deal and rejecting claims it was a strategic error.



In an interview with France 2 while promoting her memoir in Paris, Merkel explained that Germany's gas trade with Russia, which began during the Cold War, was a beneficial arrangement during her time in office. "We obtained Russian gas at a favorable price," she said, adding that it was a "win-win situation" for Germany and Russia.



Merkel acknowledged that, after the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Germany was forced to find alternative gas sources, resulting in skyrocketing prices. She argued that this price surge would have occurred earlier if Germany had ended its gas trade with Russia during her tenure.



On the topic of Nord Stream 2, the controversial gas pipeline project, Merkel defended her decision to proceed with it, explaining that she had no support from the business community to halt the project. The pipeline, which began in 2015 and was completed in 2021, was intended to transport gas directly from Russia to Germany. However, Merkel’s successor, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with other political figures, has since distanced Germany from Russian energy imports. Despite this, one of the lines of Nord Stream 2 survived sabotage in 2022 and could still potentially deliver gas to Germany.



Merkel also highlighted that the loss of Russian gas, coupled with Germany's reliance on much more expensive U.S. gas, has led to a dramatic increase in energy prices, harming many industrial businesses and contributing to shutdowns and bankruptcies.



In a previous interview, Merkel also revealed that she and former French President François Hollande had viewed the Minsk Agreements as a way to buy time for the West to arm Ukraine against Russia, a claim later confirmed by Hollande.



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https://menafn.com/1108993011/Merkel-claims-Russian-gas-was-win-win
2024-12-14
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(MENAFN) Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended Germany's long-standing energy relationship with Russia, stating that buying natural gas from Moscow was a smart deal and rejecting ...
Merkel claims Russian gas was ‘win-win’