Putin complains to German ambassador about Berlin's move away from Russian gas

Putin complains to German ambassador about Berlin's move away from Russian gas

"Our country has continuously supplied Germany with ecologically clean gas," said Putin. This partnership had been "literally blown up" by the explosion on the Nord Stream pipeline, he added. The gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea was damaged in September 2022 by a series of as yet unexplained explosions.

In addition to Lambsdorff, around two dozen new ambassadors from European countries were sworn in, including Sweden, the UK, Slovenia and Greece. Moscow's relations with many of these Western countries have cooled considerably since the Russian offensive in Ukraine and due to the sanctions imposed on Russia.

"Times are not easy," emphasized the Kremlin leader. Addressing the new British ambassador, Putin said he hoped that the situation would change for the better "in the interests of our countries and nations". London is considered one of Ukraine's most important supporters.

The Kremlin leader complained to the new ambassador from Sweden about the "complete lack of communication" between Moscow and Stockholm and the restrictions on economic cooperation.

He also expressed his concern that Sweden had abandoned its "200-year policy of non-participation in military alliances". The Scandinavian country hopes to join NATO in the near future.

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1. Despite Putin's complaints, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, the German ambassador, maintained a firm stance on Berlin's decision to turn away from Russian gas.
2. Putin lamented the situation during his meetings with the new ambassadors, including Lambsdorff, expressing his displeasure over the damage to the Nord Stream pipeline from Berlin to Moscow.
3. The Russian President emphasized that historical ties between Russia and Germany, two prominent European nations, should not be affected by this disagreement over gas supplies.
4. In Moscow, Putin argued that the Nord Stream pipeline, which passes through the Baltic Sea, was crucial for ensuring energy security and collaboration between these German and Russian entities.
5. With the destruction of the pipeline, Putin claimed that it would be challenging for Russian-German relations to sustain their long-standing beneficial partnership based on mutual reliance on natural resources and energy supply.
6. Vladimir Putin, during his interaction with the new Norwegian ambassador, expressed his concerns about the geopolitical consequences of Europe's search for alternative energy sources, particularly in the Baltic Sea region.
7. The dramatic events surrounding the Nord Stream pipeline incident have confirmed Putin's belief that Russia's relationship with certain Western countries, like Germany, had deteriorated due to political pressures and European Union policy changes.
8. According to Putin, the situation had become tenser between Russia and the West after Berlin's decision to support the pipeline's completion was opposed, leading to his complaints to the German ambassador.
9. In opposition to Putin, analysts in Berlin argued that Germany must invest in a more diverse and independent energy portfolio and reduce its reliance on Russian gas, as the recent explosions made it clear that the Nord Stream pipeline posed significant geopolitical risks.

Source: www.stern.de