Former German chancellor Angela Merkel does not perceive as a mistake the decision to build the gas pipeline "Nord Stream 2", which was supposed to increase the volume of Russian gas supplies to Germany.
In an interview with Der Spiegel on the occasion of the release of her memoirs, Merkel emphasized that Russia started a war at a time when natural gas was not flowing on "Nord Stream 2". She added that she "doesn't give up on her decisions“.
"I saw it as one of my tasks to get cheap gas for the German economy. We are now seeing the consequences of high energy prices for our country. "I wouldn't have a political majority to support the elimination of gas trade with Russia, and I certainly wouldn't have the support of the business community," she explained.
In her words "Nord Stream 2” it makes political sense.
"How was it possible in the new post-Cold War order to maintain ties with a man like Putin, whom some historians call a revisionist? By allowing him to share the welfare“, he explained.
In response to the journalists' remark that Merkel was wrong about this, the former chancellor assured that she had done "everything in her power to prevent the situation that has now arisen”.
"I tried to stop the Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine during the Minsk talks in 2015. Then it seemed stupid to me to say at the same time that we were cutting all economic ties, which were also important to Putin,”, recalls Merkel.< br />
In the interview, Merkel also said that Putin did not intend to attack Ukraine at the beginning of his term as president, and that his plan had emerged over the years, including taking into account the behavior of the West.
Angela Merkel: Nord Stream 2 was not a mistake!
In response to the journalists' remark that Merkel was wrong about this, the former chancellor assured that she had done everything in her power to prevent the current situation
Nov 22, 2024 20:38 281
