Merkel criticizes Ukraine, Poland due to Russian gas

(MENAFN) Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended her decision to continue importing Russian natural gas during her tenure, stating that both Ukraine and Poland were not opposed to it as long as they benefited from transit fees. In an interview with Der Spiegel, Merkel explained that while some critics focus on her failure to reduce dependency on Russian gas, both countries were content as long as they profited from the transit of gas through their territories.

Merkel emphasized that halting imports via the Nord Stream pipelines in 2014 would not have significantly impacted Germany’s situation, as other countries continued to purchase Russian gas. She explained that securing affordable energy for Germany’s economy was a key priority during her leadership. The consequences of rising energy costs are now evident, with Germany facing a recession and increasing corporate bankruptcies.

Serving as Chancellor from 2005 to 2021, Merkel was involved in the early stages of the Ukraine conflict, including the 2014-15 Minsk agreements, which she later described as efforts to buy time for Ukraine to build its military. The Nord Stream pipelines, which supplied a significant portion of Germany’s gas needs, were sabotaged in 2022, further complicating Germany’s energy situation. Despite the challenges, about 5% of the EU’s gas imports still come from Russia via Ukraine's transit network, although the agreement will expire at the end of the year.

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