The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline receiving station stands at dusk on February 2, 2022 near Lubmin, Germany.
Sean Gallup | beautiful pictures
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told CNBC that the West must work “very hard” to find alternative energy sources outside of Russia such as Russia. negotiations on potentially intensified sanctions.
Speaking to CNBC’s Hadley Gamble at the annual Munich Security Conference, Scholz emphasized that much of the West is dependent on Russian energy supplies.
“There are a lot of exports of oil, coal and gas from Russia to many countries – there is also a large amount [export] of oil to the United States,” he said Saturday.
“So we all have to work very hard to come up with a situation where we have alternatives. It is essential that we also make it possible that there is good cooperation – that we’re back to this non-confrontational situation… This is what we’re working for.”
Russia is largest supplier of natural gas and oil to the European Union last year.
It follows numerous discussions by Western officials in recent weeks about sanctioning Russia – and its energy sector in particular – if it invades Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied that it is planning to invade its neighbour, but has amassed around 150,000 troops near its border.
Happy Palace many statements about shelling on the ceasefire lines from both Russian and Ukrainian sources this week. On Saturday, as part of “planned exercise”, Russia launches cruise and ballistic missiles to demonstrate its nuclear readiness.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told CNBC earlier on Saturday that energy sanctions against Russian gas giant Gazprom remained “on the table” should an invasion occur.
However, such sanctions could have a significant financial impact on Ukraine, as several Russian gas pipelines run through the country. Scholz insists “we are interested” in the matter.
“We are working very hard to make gas through Ukraine something with a good future,” he said.
“We have started working very hard to have good gas transport agreements for Ukraine with Russia when the next phase will begin. This is our responsibility … to make the gas transportation. Burning became a question of working through all the pipelines that we have, especially the Ukrainian pipeline. But now we are working for peace.”
Energy alternatives
Scholz is not the only one to discuss the need to reduce energy dependence on Russia; earlier on Saturday, both von der Leyen of the EU and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said such action was important.
Europe has been “working hard” to reduce its energy dependence on Russia, Stoltenberg said, adding, “we need to be less dependent on energy from one source.”
While von der Leyen emphasized that the EU has succeeded in accessing alternative energy sources. “We can get through this winter without Russian gas,” she said.
