“The EU can do without Russian gas this winter”

After EU Commissioner for Energy Guenther Oettinger spoke last week in the European Parliament, the European Commission officials are openly asking the question: what to do if Russia cuts gas off? According to the commissioner’s conclusions, the interruption of gas flows will affect primarily Eastern Europe. However, he stressed that Europe would be ready to go through the winter if all the members of the EU will stick together. Gas storage facilities are 90 percent full for this winter, Oettinger said. The Day discussed with MEP, Chairman of the European Green Party Reinhard Buetikofer how Europe can do without Russian gas, how it can reduce energy dependence, and how it can help Ukraine.

 “THE SOUTH STREAM WILL NOT BE BUILT BECAUSE GAZPROM FAILS TO COMPLY WITH EUROPEAN RULES”

Germany is the largest customer of the Russian Gazprom. Deliveries to Europe make up 70 percent of their exports. EU Commissioner Henrik Boehme said in May that Europe should reduce its energy dependence on Russia. What has been done over the five months?

 “Europe started working on it back in 2009. The European Parliament and the European Council adopted the law on common gas standards and infrastructure for reverse flows. Thus, we have been gradually reducing our dependence on Russia. Oettinger’s report indicates that EU members can do this winter without gas supplies from Russia, if they indeed will stick together and support each other. It is particularly important to reach out and help the countries of Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine. What is absolutely not workable, though, is the idea that the supply of gas from Russia can be replaced in the long run with Algerian, Arabic or Norwegian gas. Most of the gas that we import from Russia is used for basic home heating. Therefore, we must quickly improve our energy efficiency. Given the current technological development, upgrading buildings, we could save 40 to 50 percent of current gas imports. Of course, all this cannot be done in one fell swoop, but there are huge potential gains to be realized here. In addition, Ukraine and the EU should strongly support this increased efficiency, it is also a major way to promote economic development.”

Despite these statements, the South Stream is still being built...

“On the one hand, there are attempts by Gazprom to build the South Stream. The European Commission said it was not acting in accordance with European rules. However, the crisis in Ukraine has made it quite clear that the South Stream will not be built because Gazprom does not comply with European rules. There is no way it will be built.”

 “WHEN TREATING WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN, ONE HAS TO ANTICIPATE 10 NEXT MOVES, LIKE IN CHESS”

In your opinion, are the sanctions against Russia effective?

“They are effective economy-wise, as the Russians do feel the crunch. Politically though, these sanctions have had only partial impact. The third level of sanctions we have recently approved is almost negligible. When treating with Putin, one has to anticipate 10 next moves, like in chess. If the EU does not want a military escalation with Russia, and rightly so, it does not make sense to use military rhetoric. EU is acting, but it is taking very minimal and extremely reasonable steps. Some people are under naive illusion that due to European sanctions, the Russian elites will tell Putin: “Let Ukraine alone!” and he will immediately do so. Russia is built quite differently, the relationship between economic and political power there is based on an entirely different principle than in Europe. Putin is the tsar, he is the only decision-maker.”

What about the statement of German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen on assistance to Ukraine and Iraq? What will this humanitarian or military assistance involve for Ukraine?

 “As far as I know, the federal government has decided to support peshmerga [Kurdish military. – Ed.]. The German leadership tolerated and supported arms exports for years. We, the Greens, have always openly criticized it. The current government of the Alliance and the Social Democratic Party said goodbye to the arms export policy. They do not want to send arms to crisis regions. Iraq is an exception, so arms exports there remain a special case. The decision to supply weapons to the Kurds for their fight against the Islamic State was a right one.

 “Regarding Ukraine, I do not think that arming Ukrainian troops in this conflict situation would improve anything, because Ukraine, even with the best weapons on offer, cannot win a war against Russia. The separatists are so only secondarily, as first of all, they are a tool of the Kremlin. Therefore, I think that they cannot be defeated. Ukraine was going to evict the pro-Russian separatists. To prevent this, the Russian leadership has done everything possible and just sent its troops overtly to the border regions. In my opinion, this dynamics is obvious. To believe now that supplying weapons can be of some help is a mistake. It is better to stabilize Ukraine economically.”

What will the next steps of Europe be? We would like to hear your prognosis.

 “The coming election in Ukraine is incredibly important. I hope that it will bring three results: first, a high turnout in order to demonstrate that the people of Ukraine took the opportunity to decide what parliament they want to have. Secondly, a stabilization which will confirm that Ukraine has a functioning state. And thirdly, it will bring a defeat of radical extremists. Otherwise, Russia will always use the so-called ‘anti-fascist propaganda’ against the Ukrainian government.”

We thank German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt for the opportunity to talk to the politician