The Prime Minister of Bavaria and the chairman of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Söder spoke out against tougher sanctions against Russia and Nord Stream 2.
"Constant new threats and increasingly harsh sanctions against Russia cannot be the solution. On the one hand, because the sanctions have long been ineffective, and on the other hand, because these new sanctions would often hurt us in the same way," he told the Frankfurter newspaper. Allgemeine Zeitung.
According to the politician, for example, the exclusion of Russia from SWIFT, the closure of Nord Stream 2, or the general cessation of all gas supplies from Russia would also affect F. Even at the height of the Cold War, the energy connection between the USSR and Germany was not in doubt.
Söder believes that no one can want war in Europe. At the same time, the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine must be respected in accordance with international law. However, "at some point the West will have to answer the key question: Is there a plan to expand NATO with Ukraine or not?", regardless of the debate about Moscow's right to "dictate anything here."
"In my opinion, one thing is clear: NATO's eastward expansion in relation to Ukraine will not be on the agenda for a long time," Zeder said. He noted that Russia is a difficult partner, but not an enemy to Europe. "The majority of Germans would like stable and peaceful relations with Moscow, so we must continue the dialogue, despite the challenges," the Bavarian premier concluded.
The construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was completed on September 10 last year. Now it is ready for commissioning, both lines are filled with technical gas. However, Germany has suspended the certification process for Nord Stream 2 AG in order to comply with the country's legislation. In this regard, it is necessary to create a subsidiary in Germany and submit a new application for certification. In mid-December 2021, the German Federal Network Agency (BNA) announced that they were expecting a decision on Nord Stream 2 no earlier than the beginning of the second half of 2022.
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