Overview
- Saxony’s Michael Kretschmer told the Funke media group that Europe needs low-cost energy and said Russia should again be a trading partner without creating new dependence.
- He dismissed the slogan “never again Russia,” urging that sanctions be weighed against Germany’s economic interests.
- The federal CDU and previous governments have repeatedly rejected such a course, insisting Russia must end the war first.
- EU countries agreed in October to phase out remaining Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, and Germany currently receives no Russian pipeline gas or oil.
- Separately, Bavaria’s Markus Söder promoted small modular reactors as an energy option, though Canada’s first such project is only in preparation with earliest operation targeted around 2030.