Germany: Quitting Russian Oil by Late Summer Is ‘Realistic’

German Economy and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck speaks during a news conference on measures to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and Germany's dependance on Russian energy imports, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2022. (Reuters)
German Economy and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck speaks during a news conference on measures to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and Germany's dependance on Russian energy imports, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2022. (Reuters)
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Germany: Quitting Russian Oil by Late Summer Is ‘Realistic’

German Economy and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck speaks during a news conference on measures to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and Germany's dependance on Russian energy imports, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2022. (Reuters)
German Economy and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck speaks during a news conference on measures to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and Germany's dependance on Russian energy imports, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2022. (Reuters)

Germany says it’s making progress on weaning itself off Russian fossil fuels and expects to be fully independent of Russian crude oil imports by late summer.

Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck said Sunday that Europe’s largest economy has reduced the share of Russian energy imports to 12% for oil, 8% for coal and 35% for natural gas. Germany has been under strong pressure from Ukraine and other nations in Europe to cut energy imports from Russia that are worth billions of euros, which help fill Russian President Vladimir Putin's war chest.

"All these steps that we are taking require an enormous joint effort from all actors and they also mean costs that are felt by both the economy and consumers," Habeck said in a statement. "But they are necessary if we no longer want to be blackmailed by Russia."

The announcement comes as the whole European Union considers an embargo on Russian oil following a decision to ban Russian coal imports starting in August.

Germany has managed to shift to oil and coal imports from other countries in a relatively short time, meaning that "the end of dependence on Russian crude oil imports by late summer is realistic," Habeck's ministry said.

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. That share is now down to 35%, partly due to increased procurement from Norway and the Netherlands, the ministry said.

To further reduce Russian imports, Germany plans to speed up the construction of terminals for liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The Energy and Climate Ministry said Germany aims to put several floating LNG terminals into operation as early as this year or next. That's an ambitious timeline that the ministry acknowledged "requires an enormous commitment from everyone involved."

Germany has resisted calls for an EU boycott on Russian natural gas. It also watched with worry last week as Moscow immediately halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after they rejected Russian demands to pay for gas in rubles. European officials called those moves by Russia "energy blackmail."

Germany's central bank has said a total cutoff of Russian gas could mean 5 percentage points of lost economic output and higher inflation.



Iran Nuclear Tensions Escalate: Tehran Warns against 'Military Adventurism', China Urges Dialogue

A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
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Iran Nuclear Tensions Escalate: Tehran Warns against 'Military Adventurism', China Urges Dialogue

A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)

China has urged a return to negotiations to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis as Washington called on Tehran to halt its nuclear escalation and missile activities. Meanwhile, Iran lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council, warning of swift retaliation against any US or Israeli attack.

US President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday his threat of an unprecedented strike on Iran if it refuses his offer for talks. According to sources, Trump sent a message to the Iranian leadership in early March, giving Tehran a two-month deadline to respond.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed the possibility of an external attack on Monday but warned the US of a strong response if it took military action. He stated that if Washington attempted to incite unrest within Iran, “the Iranian people would respond as they have in the past”.

Later, Iran formally complained to the UN Security Council about what it described as “reckless and hostile” US statements.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani wrote that Tehran “strongly warns against any military adventurism and will respond swiftly and decisively to any act of aggression or attack by the United States or its proxy, the Israeli regime, against its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national interests.”

China, for its part, criticized Washington’s threats of military force against Iran’s nuclear program. According to the Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the US to return to the negotiating table and demonstrate goodwill, stressing that sanctions and military threats will not lead to a resolution.

He further emphasized that Beijing believes the only effective solution is a political and diplomatic one and urged a renewed consensus within the framework of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani rejected the threats against Iran. In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, he expressed Iraq’s commitment to Iran’s security and stability.

Iraq’s official news agency reported that Sudani emphasized coordination among Islamic nations to confront shared challenges and threats, fostering security and stability.

In response to Khamenei’s speech, the Trump administration reiterated its determination to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. While reaffirming its preference for diplomacy, it warned that other options remain on the table.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Monday that the Trump administration will not allow a nuclear Iran.

She accused Iran of being a key state sponsor of terrorism, supporting groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and al-Qaeda. She also pointed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the US designates as a terrorist organization.

Referencing Trump’s message to Iran, she outlined Washington’s demands: Tehran must halt its nuclear escalation, end its ballistic missile program, dismantle its regional proxy networks, cease aggressive activities, stop repressing its own people, and abandon the destabilizing actions of the IRGC.