Germany may quit Russian oil by late summer - minister
Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck said Sunday that Europe’s largest economy has reduced its share of Russian energy imports to 12% for oil, 8% for coal and 35% for natural gas. Habeck says those steps mean increased costs for the economy and for consumers. But he says the changes are necessary if Germany no longer wants to be “blackmailed by Russia.”
- World
- AP
- Published Date: 10:30 | 01 May 2022
- Modified Date: 10:38 | 01 May 2022
Germany says it's making progress on weaning itself off Russian fossil fuels and expects to be fully independent of crude oil imports from Russia by late summer.
Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck said Sunday that Europe's largest economy has reduced its share of Russian energy imports to 12% for oil, 8% for coal and 35% for natural gas.
Habeck says those steps mean increased costs for the economy and for consumers. But he says the changes are necessary if Germany no longer wants to be "blackmailed by Russia."
The announcement comes as the European Union considers an embargo on Russian oil. The bloc has already decided to ban Russian coal imports starting in August.
Weaning German off Russian natural gas is a far bigger challenge. Before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Germany got more than half of its natural gas imports from Russia.
- Zelensky calls meeting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Kyiv 'powerful signal'
- Unidentified attacker opens fire on house of Turkish NGO director Mehmet Özer in Sweden
- Finland almost certainly to apply for NATO membership: Swedish FM Linde
- Riot erupts in Sweden after another Quran burning provocation by far-right leader Rasmus Paludan
- Krueger, ex-Texas congressman and diplomat, dies at 86