Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel explained her earlier choice of Russian pipeline gas over liquefied gas as a benefit to industry, and also expressed doubt that Russia used gas supplies “as a weapon.”
The former German chancellor says the German economy has opted for cost-effective pipeline gas supplies from Russia over more expensive LNG from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and later the US.
“I didn’t believe that change could be achieved through trade, but that it was possible to establish connections, especially with a nuclear power,” she said. “Against this background, after the Minsk agreements were concluded, I considered Nord Stream 2 (“Nord Stream 2”) acceptable,” the ex-chancellor added.
The ex-chancellor is accused of expressing support for the Nord Stream 2 project and opposing the accelerated entry of Ukraine into NATO in 2008.
“Merkel’s policy of peaceful coexistence with Russia was the right one,” Scholz told DPA.
“An attempt at reconciliation can never be wrong,” adding that he is on the side of his predecessor.
However, according to the German chancellor, the previous leadership made mistakes in energy policy, “not building the necessary infrastructure in case they have to quickly change course.”
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