Politicians from the conservative party who may head the upcoming German administration have suggested reconsidering the importation of Russian natural gas. This proposal has been endorsed by the far-right faction.
Parliamentarians of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) have caused a political row in Germany by welcoming an apparent US initiative to repair and re-open the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that talks with the United States regarding Ukraine also covered the topic of reviving Nord Stream. This confirmation came following reports from a German daily newspaper. Handelsblatt it was reported that a United States-based investor had submitted an application to the U.S. government with the intention of purchasing the pipeline.
CDU Bundestag member Thomas Bareiss endorsed the concept in an extensive LinkedIn post where he commented, "Our American counterparts are so entrepreneurial."
"When peace returns and the arms cease firing between #Russia and #Ukraine (and let’s hope that occurs shortly), relationships will stabilize, sanctions will eventually be removed, and naturally, #natural gas can resume flowing through possibly another #pipeline but one controlled by the United States," he noted.
He received support from Jan Heinisch, who is part of the CDU's energy task force during the party’s talks for forming a coalition government with the center-left SPD. "Should a fair and safe peace ever come into being, then we should have permission to discuss purchasing natural gas from Russia once more," Heinisch stated to Politico.
What is Nord Stream?
The Nord Stream system comprises two natural gas pipelines, with each pipeline having two separate tubes extending from northwestern Russia to Germany’s northern coastline. Although Nord Stream 2 was finished in 2021 and remains unused, Nord Stream 1 commenced operations in 2011. This line transported Russian gas across Europe via an entity jointly owned by a group involving Russia’s Gazprom along with several German, French, and Dutch firms.
On September 1, 2022, Russia ceased operations of Nord Stream 1, citing EU sanctions as the reason for halting its operation due to technical difficulties. However, this claim was refuted by Siemens, the German engineering firm responsible for maintaining the turbine.
A few weeks after that, on September 26, three out of the four Nord Stream pipelines suffered significant damage apparently due to sabotage. Although the perpetrators remain unidentified as of now, German officials previously released an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian individual suspected in this incident, but the person is still at large.
Back into Russian dependence?
The German Economics Ministry, which remains under the control of the Green Party within Olaf Scholz’s governing coalition, rejected the idea of resuming Russian natural gas imports. Following reports about potential U.S.-Russia talks that emerged at the beginning of March, a ministry representative stated, “Ensuring autonomy from Russian gas holds both defensive and strategic significance for the German administration, and they remain committed to this stance.”
However, Germany is poised to establish a new administration, likely led by CDU head Friedrich Merz, with the SPD serving as the smaller ally in the coalition. A shift back towards purchasing Russian natural gas—even supposing that Russia and Ukraine achieve peace—would mark a substantial reversal for German policy.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) welcomed Bareiss' remarks with enthusiasm. “It’s encouraging to see that a CDU Member of Parliament is exploring avenues for implementing policy driven by interests,” said Tino Chrupalla, the co-chairman of the far-right party, during an interview with ZDF last week. “There is a necessity to revert to obtaining cost-effective natural gas from Russia, managed solely by the participating traders.”
However, energy policy experts in Germany have consistently rejected this notion. Claudia Kemfert, who leads the energy, transport, and environment division at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), stated, "In my opinion, this is not a wise suggestion."
"For quite some time now, we have understood that Russia cannot be considered a dependable source," she stated to SANTIJAYA via email. "Given the global conflicts over fossil fuels, becoming reliant on an aggressor once more—geopolitically speaking—would be extremely reckless." Furthermore, she noted, such a US-Russia agreement regarding Nord Stream could result in Germany being twice as vulnerable to dependence issues.
Michael Rodi, an environmental and energy law professor at Greifswald University, found it perplexing that this debate has resurfaced in Germany. He shared with SANTIJAYA, “This conversation seems odd.” He also noted, “While it’s unexpected for the CDU to initiate such discussions, it isn’t shocking that the Greens would adopt opposing views.”
SPD's relations with Russia
Aside from the AfD, the German political party traditionally most inclined towards sustaining connections with Russia is the SPD. During the Cold War, they promoted détente with the Soviet Union using the motto "Change Through Rapprochement."
The ex-Social Democrat chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, who refers to himself as a personal friend Of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, remains officially at the helm of the Nord Stream board. Following Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the SPD faced significant criticism from the CDU due to their historical ties with Russia and their crucial role in facilitating the negotiation of the Nord Stream agreement.
In 2022, as the head of the opposition, Merz said during an interview with the radio network. Deutschlandfunk Germany’s reliance on Russian energy needs to cease at once, and there was a call for a parliamentary investigation into the connections between the SPD and Russia. The implication being that this probe might reveal “entanglements within the SPD that run far deeper than currently understood.”
The German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier from the SPD party, had to acknowledge his responsibility during his tenure as foreign minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel. He stated in 2022, “Persisting with Nord Stream 2 was undoubtedly an error.” The president added, “We clung to connections like this one when Russia no longer trusted them, and our allies cautioned us about moving forward with such projects.”
Economic and environmental concerns
Although rehabilitating the pipeline is considered technologically achievable—with costs estimated around $500 million—the Nord Stream company, headquartered in Switzerland, is presently involved in bankruptcy discussions. This situation implies that the pipelines might be available for purchase at a reduced price.
However, every potential purchaser would essentially be counting on both a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine resulting in reduced sanctions against Russia, as well as Europe’s shift towards renewable energy progressing at an insufficient pace. “Should the energy transition prove successful, there won’t be much demand left for Russian natural gas,” forecasted Rodi.
Natural gas has no place in our future plans—it’s evident," stated Kemfert from DIW. "Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, we are obligated to reach climate neutrality, an objective we must fulfill. We made the choice to eliminate fossil fuels quite some time ago—now it's crucial that we take action.
However, it is still uncertain if there is sufficient political determination to drive forward with the energy transformation and sustain energy autonomy from Russia going forward. It appears that certain members of the upcoming German administration might not be as dedicated to this objective.
Edited by Rina Goldenberg
While you’re here: Each Tuesday, the SANTIJAYA editors compile updates on political and social developments in Germany. You can subscribe here for the weekly email newsletter called Berlin Briefing.
Author: Ben Knight