Even though gas is now flowing back to Europe through Nord Stream 1, the gas crisis in Europe has not been averted. This is how the German newspapers comment on the problems.
After the maintenance of Nord Stream 1, the gas supply through the German-Russian gas pipeline started again on Thursday morning. Gas is flowing again, a spokesman for Nord Stream AG told the German Press Agency. It will take some time before the full transport capacity is reached.
It had previously been feared that after the ten-day maintenance, Moscow could completely allow the gas tap and thus further aggravate the energy crisis. After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the West imposed sanctions on Russia. Russia, in turn, had completely or partially stopped gas supplies to European countries.
EU plan provides gas savings
In the event of a gas emergency, EU states should be able to be forced to save gas, according to the will of the European Commission. Specifically, the Brussels authority proposed on Wednesday that binding reduction targets should be possible if not enough is saved. The EU countries should voluntarily do everything to reduce their consumption in the coming months by 15 percent compared to the average of the previous five years.
According to her own statement, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes that a complete stop in the supply of gas from Russia to the European Union is likely. “Russia is blackmailing us, Russia is using energy as a weapon.”
This is how the German newspapers comment on the current gas crisis:
“New Osnabrück Newspaper”: “The EU Commission would simply ignore the national governments by being forced to save gas. The authorities in Brussels as a superpower in Europe? But the European plan is questionable for another reason. In all of the recent crises, the Management of the EU Commission is largely not working. Just think of the failed joint procurement of vaccines and protective masks in the corona pandemic or the problem of refugee distribution, which has not yet been solved. Fortunately, the EU states have to agree to the Commission’s proposals – and it is not to be expected that they will do that. In any case, the new gas emergency plan is once again not a great moment in EU politics.”
“General Newspaper” (Mainz): “Looking anxiously at Moscow about what is about to happen is further proof of the West’s fatal dependence on Russian gas. Putin knows how to use this and he does it coldly. Like a dealer, he throws a bit of stuff at the junkie feet, not without threatening that it was the last package if it wasn’t well behaved. That’s how drug addicts are kept compliant. But it’s also true: every cubic meter of gas that might be flowing back to us from Russia can help a little bit to prepare for all wintry scenarios, to fill the stores.”
“Munich Mercury”: “Even if Germany gave in to Putin’s urging and opened the Nord Stream II pipeline now: When in doubt, the Kremlin boss always comes up with a new excuse to turn on the gas tap. As on the battlefields in Ukraine, Putin wants to retain escalation dominance in the gas war. He has never been a reliable partner, as some undeterred claim. Europe would be crazy to get involved in its game of cat and mouse. The EU must prepare for the gas emergency with full force. The Berlin traffic light still has a lot of homework to do, keywords are nuclear and biogas. And everyone has to secretly hope that there is still a remnant of economic sense in Moscow. No one pays more for Russian gas than Europa. The ailing Russia, which is sinking deep into recession, can hardly do without this income in the long term. It’s one thing to keep pushing up the price of gas by playing new games. Turning off the tap is another. Because then it’s game over. Also for Putin.”
“Frankfurt New Press”: “Is Russia supplying gas again, isn’t it? We’ll find out this Thursday. The dictator in the Kremlin is making us flounder. He’s playing on the fears of the Germans. The next few months will show how long the solidarity with Ukraine will last when it gets colder in our rooms and emptier on the accounts. But the Russian soldiers and the local population are also facing a hard winter. And whether Russia can really afford to do without the gas billions from Europe, is doubtful. For us it is worth standing firm and working flat out on an energy supply that will allow us to get out of Putin’s game.”
“The Bell” (Oelde): “Russia announces deliveries to Germany, at the same time Putin whispers about a possible reduction in the delivery volume through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and once again refers to the unused Nord Stream 2 pipeline. These cards are on the Russian table. It is unclear which Putin still has because as much as he builds on the threat ‘We can cut off Europe’s gas’, Russia needs the income from gas sales just as much. The western countries are already doing everything they can to reduce consumption and buy gas elsewhere Putin must be interested in selling as much as possible to Europe as long as there is demand for it there and Russia has no other buyers due to a lack of pipeline capacity. These are also the cards that the EU has in hand. Why not put one in let it fidget a little and suggest that you don’t really need your gas that badly? fill the aggressor’s war chest?”
“Stuttgarter News”: “The magic word is solidarity. If there is a shortage of gas in a country, the community should help. In theory, this is what the EU plan provides for. But Hungary has already announced that it will no longer supply gas from August. Also in A clear grumbling can be heard in countries like Poland, where the storage facilities are full to the brim because the government never trusted Moscow’s words, and now, in an emergency, gas is supposed to be pumped to Germany of all places warnings from Warsaw. Vladimir Putin is using his gas as a weapon for a frontal attack on Western democracy. Fighting off this attack in solidarity will be the real challenge next winter.”
“Ludwigsburg District Newspaper”: “There are many useful suggestions in the plan now presented by the Commission. But the EU Commission has set its plan on the wrong track in three respects. If all measures throughout Europe are to take effect from August 1st, it would take longer Deadlines are needed instead of proposing something on July 20, which is to be discussed and pursued by the governments in the Council of Ministers on July 26. Wanting to intervene in the rights of the 27 member countries without saying specifically how, when and where , should at best be feigned activism. In addition, the Commission should also have involved Parliament in order to improve the basis for approval.”
“Reutlingen General Gazette”: “Putin is trying to drive the West along with more and more new games. First he demands payment for the gas supplies in rubles, then he obtains the return of a turbine that was actually subject to sanctions in order to put Nord Stream 1 back into operation. Now he is bringing the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline is even coming into play again and is tempting with cheaper prices. For Putin, every concession is proof of the weakness of the West and is celebrated domestically as a victory.”
“Badische Zeitung” (Freiburg): “Will the gas start flowing again? (…) The contradictory indications from Wednesday were primarily intended to create confusion and demonstrate power. (…) Without a common set of rules, the EU threatens to be divided and crushed in an emergency. Show solidarity, save energy, Replacing gas wherever possible and not disregarding the consequences for the climate – these are reasonable guiding principles. But the EU, and above all gas-addicted Germany, will push it to the breaking point. (…)”
“Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung”: “Putin’s threats are at most superficially about technical issues such as the delivery of a turbine for the pipeline repaired in Canada. They are primarily another attempt to blackmail Germany and the EU: Do you continue to stand firmly on the side of Ukraine, then the winter will be cold and expensive. A complete stop to gas supplies is always in the offing. This is causing great nervousness in Germany, and rightly so. But the threats from the Moscow autocrat must by no means lead to a relaxation of western sanctions. And Germany and the EU are even more allowed to do so not dissuaded from supporting Ukraine in its defense against the illegal attack by the Russian military – also and especially with heavy weapons.”
“Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung” (Heidelberg): “Putin is a hardened gambler. Whether wars on the outskirts of Georgia or in the Ukraine, whether material battles in Syria, whether business – the Kremlin ruler has time and nerves. He can stretch out the scenarios of aggression and fake retreats for miles. And not a member of the opposition, no journalist will ever press him or put forward arguments. The repressive system is already taking care of that. Most decision-makers in Europe will not have realized what a perfidious and at the same time tough game they got into as a result of February 24th. Sayings like ” in Ukraine our freedom is being defended” only mask the fact that Russia is – with frightening success – in the process of balancing out a new world order. The answer to this should not be to buy gas from other dictators in the future – but a real energy transition. It will be risk to opportunity.”
Source: Stern
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