A German official suggests resuming energy imports from Russia

Michael Kretschmer, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stated that Germany should resume energy imports from Russia after the war ends, believing that good economic relations contribute to the country's security. Although he has been criticized for this position, Kretschmer emphasized that Russia should become a trading partner again, without Germany becoming dependent on it. He mentioned that Germany's current energy policy could lead to deindustrialization and suggested that the sanctions imposed on Russia should be analyzed from an economic perspective.

Before the invasion of Ukraine, Germany was significantly dependent on Russian gas, which has been criticized by other European states, especially Poland, which believes that this dependency contributed to Moscow's aggression. Kretschmer highlighted the need for a strong economy to ensure Germany's defense.