German politician urges talks on restoring Nord Stream

Pressuring Russia has not worked, Michael Kretschmer, the head of Saxony, has argued, advocating for a “positive approach” toward Moscow

Germany should consider adopting a “positive approach” toward Moscow that would including restoring the Nord Stream gas pipelines, Michael Kretschmer, the prime minister of the state of Saxony in eastern Germany, has argued.

The current hostile policy has been unproductive and has only harmed Germany’s economy, the politician, who also serves as one of the deputy heads of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, said in an interview with Die Zeit on Sunday.

“Nord Stream is a possible opening for a conversation with Russia,” Kretschmer suggested, adding that such talks would benefit both nations. The German economy requires at least one-fifth of its gas supplies to come from Russia to function normally, he claimed.

He also pointed out that various companies had begun relocating due to high production costs and energy prices. If the situation in the economy does not improve, Germany, not Russia, will have to “change [its] course in one or two years,” he warned.

Read more

German chancellor backs Nord Stream ban – FT

Kretschmer’s stance contrasts sharply with that of his party leader and federal chancellor, Friedrich Merz. Earlier this week, as part of a new sanctions push, Merz expressed support for an EU plan to ban any use of the Nord Stream gas pipelines and to block attempts to revive energy trade with Russia.

The head of Saxony considers such an approach counterproductive. “As long as we say that we don’t want anything, we don’t want gas supplies, we only impose sanctions, no one will talk to us,” he argued.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipeline systems were built under the Baltic Sea to deliver Russian natural gas directly to Germany. Each system consisting of two pipelines was capable of delivering up to 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year. Three out of the pipelines' four lines were destroyed by underwater explosions in September 2022 in an act of sabotage that Russia believes was orchestrated by Western intelligence agencies.

European gas prices surged after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022 as pipeline gas imports from Russia mostly ceased due to sanctions and the Nord Stream sabotage. In 2021, Russian pipeline gas accounted for 32% of the total demand of the EU and UK, while Germany relied on Russia for 55% of its consumption, according to the European Council.