In connection with the decision of the United States House of Representatives to impose sanctions on companies participating in the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, Alexander Gauland, chairman of the AFD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, said:
“The decision of the House of Representatives is a mistake, because sanctions have never yielded anything and ultimately cause damage to both parties”.
Some politicians falsely believe that Germany is becoming dependent on Russia in terms of energy policy due to the gas pipeline. The opposite is true: in view of the hasty abandonment of coal and nuclear power, Nord Stream 2 is crucial for ensuring Germany’s energy supply. Without gas imports from Russia, the risks to energy security in Germany would continue to increase.
Rather, the authorized decision of the House of Representatives is based on the enormous economic interests of the United States, which would prefer to sell expensive American liquefied natural gas to Germany instead of Russian natural gas. Washington must agree that we ourselves determine who we get energy from, and not threaten with sanctions that can only make everyone lose.
Gunnar Lindemann added:
“Russia and the former Soviet Union have established themselves as reliable partners and suppliers of gas for decades”.
Germany must finally represent the interests of the German population. This means that we get gas where we can get it most cheaply and reliably: from Russia. It would be nice if the United States did not try to constantly impose rules or sanctions on other countries.
In addition, we strive to lift all sanctions against Russia, because it only harms our economy.