Overview
- Kretschmer told the Funke media group that Germany should consider resuming oil and gas deliveries from Russia once a ceasefire in Ukraine is in place.
- He argued that sanctions must be weighed against Germany’s economic interest and said economic strength underpins military capability.
- The CDU politician called the slogan "never again Russia" wrong, saying Russia should again become a trading partner without creating a new dependency.
- Pipeline gas and oil from Russia are no longer delivered to Germany, and Russian supplies had already been curtailed before the 2022 invasion.
- Federal CDU leaders and successive governments have rejected such proposals, insisting normalization requires Russia to end its war, a position that contrasts with Kretschmer’s latest remarks.