- Title: Merkel: no regrets on energy policy with Russia
- Date: 13th October 2022
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 13, 2022) (REUTERS) ARRIVAL OF FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL (SOUNDBITE) (German) FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "So, as far as my position at the time on phasing out nuclear energy is concerned, I have not changed my mind. We need a path towards CO2-free and truly sustainable forms of energy and therefore the path goes towards energy saving, renewable energies, and hydrogen technologies. And apart from that, you will understand that I am not getting involved in the current discussion of the present federal government. But as far as my position on the fundamental issues is concerned, it is unchanged." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (German) FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "No, you always act in the time in which you find yourself. It was clear to us that we need a transformation of the entire energy supply. As has already been discussed, we have withdrawn from nuclear energy. We wanted and will get out of coal step by step, which remains part of the programme, and for the transformation period, it was clear that we need natural gas in order to then, of course, one day arrive at CO2-free forms of energy completely. Due to the pressure of a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, we have pushed up our climate neutrality to the year 2045. And from the perspective of that time, it was very rational and understandable to obtain pipeline-bound gas from Russia, which was cheaper than LNG from other parts of the world, such as the USA, Saudi Arabia and Qatar." CLIMATE ACTIVIST GRETA THUNBERG SPEAKING ON SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (German) FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "And even during the Cold War, Russia was a reliable energy supplier. I never believed that there was such a thing as change through trade, but certainly connection through trade. And in this respect, I do not regret decisions at all, rather, I believe that it was right from the perspective of the time. On the other hand, it was also right to accelerate the fight against climate change at the end of my term of office. And yet this brutal invasion by Russia has now brought a change. This is a turning point, and of course, the new government has to deal with it. And that is what it is doing." MERKEL LOOKING ON NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING, MERKEL LEAVING LINGEN, GERMANY (OCTOBER 12, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THE EMSLAND NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WITH COOLING TOWERS DRONE SHOT OF THE COOLING TOWER OF THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, COOLING TOWERS OF THE EMSLAND GAS-FIRED POWER PLANT VARIOUS OF EMSLAND GAS-FIRED POWER STATION ELECTRICITY PYLONS, GAS-FIRED POWER STATION EMSLAND IN THE BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 27th October 2022 14:39
- Keywords: Nordstream Putin Russia as gas supplier diplomacy germany's nuclear policies nuclear energy trade
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL / LINGEN, GERMANY
- City: LISBON, PORTUGAL / LINGEN, GERMANY
- Country: Various
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001205113102022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Angela Merkel said on Thursday (October 13) she has no regrets about the course her government took regarding energy and Russia during her time as leader of Germany, even as the country battles to sever its ties with Moscow in light of the Ukraine war.
"You always act in the time in which you find yourself," she said at an awards event in Lisbon when asked about her government's approach to Russia.
Merkel, who retired from politics last year after 16 years as chancellor, said she had never believed in the notion of 'Wandel durch Handel', or bringing about change through trade.
"In this respect, I do not regret decisions at all, rather, I believe that it was right from the perspective of the time," she said, adding that cheap Russian gas had allowed Germany to push ahead with phasing out nuclear and coal.
Both of those landmark policies of the Merkel era have since been delayed as Germany scrambles to replace throttled gas deliveries from Russia.
Meanwhile, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline built under Merkel's watch, designed to double gas imports from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, was cancelled in the days leading up to the invasion.
"This brutal invasion by Russia has now brought a change. This is a turning point," Merkel said, adding that this was something for the new government to deal with.
(Production: Miguel Pereira, Andi Kranz, Isabella Ronca) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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