Kretschmer: EU decision on Russian gas a mistake

Saxony's head of government Michael Kretschmer (CDU) considers the EU's decision to completely renounce Russian natural gas to be incomprehensible. He considers this to be a wrong decision, he told the German Press Agency. We can now see that developments are moving towards a ceasefire and hopefully a new era. "I don't understand why such a decision has to be taken now."

EU wants to be independent of gas from Russia by the end of 2027

The EU wants to be completely independent of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027 at the latest. This is the aim of an agreement reached between representatives of the governments of the member states and the European Parliament against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.

"It is perfectly clear when times have changed, when there is peace again, when there is perhaps a different leadership in Russia. Why should such decisions be made then? What's the point of this stonewalling," asked Kretschmer. They wanted to be more independent of one energy source. Now there is the opportunity to diversify after the war.

Kretschmer sees the decision as the result of symbolic politics

"It doesn't make sense to me," said Kretschmer, also arguing that LNG gas - which replaces part of the former Russian gas imports - has a very high carbon footprint. The Saxon Minister President therefore sees the decision as the result of a policy that primarily wants to focus on symbols: "I don't think this is going in the right direction."

Kretschmer had previously repeatedly argued in favor of sourcing energy from Russia again once the fighting in Ukraine had ended. "It must be in our interest to resume energy supplies from Russia after a ceasefire," he said recently. Russia must be a trading partner again in the long term without becoming dependent again.